Blind Love
by SaffronAngel
Summary: Happy endings! Finished.
1. The Princess's Power

DISCLAIMER: The characters of Stargate SG-1 are not mine. So if you sue me for playing with them, you sure won't get much out of me.

SUMMARY: This would take place in the current season. Of course, I'm not now nor have I ever been a fan of the Pete/ Sam relationship. I saw the hurt in Jack's eyes when she told him that Pete had asked her to marry him. Anyway, I've often thought that Daniel needs a new love interest. Especially since they keep killing off the women that he falls for. So, with that in mind, Daniel and Sam are captured by a Go'auld and imprisioned. There they meet the youngest two children of a local chieftain. The daughter is the only female child he has. She is treasured by her tribe and is known to have immense psychic powers. Daniel falls in love with her and she convinces her father to let her travel to earth to be with Daniel. Let's just see what happens after that.

The young woman stirred restlessly in her spot by the wall. She had her back against the wall as usual. The young man who was seated next to her reminded Colnel Samantha Carter somewhat of her friend, Teal'c. He was alert and watchful, appearing to be extremely protective of the woman. A door slid open and a trough (for lack of a better term) of food (kind of) was shoved into the dungeon room. One man stepped forward to fill two bowls. When he stepped back from the trough, the others crowded around it to get their food.

He stepped over in front of the two of them. "Your Highnesses, please forgive my boldness but I have brought you breakfast."

As the young man took both bowls from him, the young woman spoke, her voice lyrical but weak. "Thank you. Our people have been most kind and thoughtful throughout our imprisonment."

The man nodded as well. "Yes. Thank you." As the other stepped away from the two of them, he turned to his sister. "She'tiana, you must keep up your strength. Please eat."

"Talorn, I do not feel well. Please eat. You must stay strong in case we find a way to escape." With that, the young woman curled her legs up under her and turned away from Talorn. Sam and Daniel, who sat next to her in a corner across the room from the two young people, saw that she had manacles on her wrists and ankles attached to the wall by ridiculously long chains. The young man sighed and started to eat the food in the bowls, still watching his sister with worried eyes.

"Daniel, are you wondering the same thing I am?"

"Why is this one young woman, who seems to be very weak, the only one in chains?"

"Precisely."

Just then, a poor looking woman stopped in front of the strangers. "The young woman in chains is the only daughter of our chieftain, Da'norn, the Princess She'tiana. The other is her twin brother, Prince Talorn."

"Why is she in chains?" Daniel asked, confused. "Shouldn't it be her brother that's in chains?"

"Mnimi believes that, by keeping her here, she could force the chieftain to follow her orders. He would never do anything to allow harm to come to the princess. Talorn stays here to protect her and make sure that the evil ones do not harm his twin."

Suddenly, a yell came from the other side of the room. "Shey! Shey! Wake up Shey!"

Sam and Daniel scrambled to their feet and rushed to his side in the hopes of being of some kind of assistance. Talorn was cradling Shey, sweeping the hair back from her face. "Shey, wake up. Please wake up."

Sam knelt beside him. "What happened?"

"She went to sleep. She won't wake up."

Sam reached out as if to take Shey. Talorn jerked back, still clinging to her. Patiently, Sam tried to explain. "I'm a doctor. If you let me see her, I might be able to help."

Hesitantly, Talorn handed his precious sister to the stranger. Sam checked her pulse and breathing. Suddenly, Shey started crying, great heaving sobs.

"Why did he leave me? After everything we've been through..... Why? Why?" Sam drew back a little at hearing the words from the woman's mouth.

Daniel was seriously puzzled as he stared at Sam. He had long known that Sam had feelings for General Jack O'Neill that she shouldn't have but he never realized that it was so strong. "What is going on?"

Talorn spoke up. "Sometimes Shey can channel previous experiences or memories from someone who touches her. Usually it's memories or feelings that they have a hard time dealing with or refuse to deal with."

Sam held Shey out to Talorn, who took her gently into his arms and cradled her. "If she can touch these feelings in you, you must deal with them. Otherwise, they will someday cause many problems. Shey is a wonderous healer for our people."

Sam sat back on her heels, feeling the tears burn her eyes and knowing that she couldn't deal with these feelings right now. She had to escape. To get back to the SGC and the man that she wanted but could never have.


	2. Rescue and Revelation

DISCLAIMER: Not mine (but I can dream can't I). Oh well, not making any money from this so don't sue me.

SUMMARY: Takes place during Season 8. Daniel and Sam have been captured while on a mission and thrown into a dungeon with two of the members of the ruling family of one of the clans. I know that on the show Pete has asked Sam to marry him. And I know that she said yes. Of course, since I'm not a fan of that ship, she's going to eventually dump his sorry butt. Who she gets together with is a surprise.

TEAL'C stood in the embarkation room. Alone except for the usual staff that attended any opening of the gate that was unscheduled.

Jack O'Neill stood in the control room. His heart was racing although he didn't let it show. He knew that Teal'c would never have left Sam and Daniel behind unless........

'Don't think that way! They're not dead! Not Sam! Not Daniel! Not dead!' He shook his head quickly to clear such awful thoughts. Keying the mike to the room below him, O'Neill spoke. "My office please, Teal'c. Now."

Teal'c inclined his head and left the gate room.

JACK stood behind his desk as Teal'c walked in. "What the hell happened out there? Where are Daniel and Carter?"

"They were captured, O'Neill. It appears that one clan on the planet is giving the Go'auld there a great deal of trouble. She seems to be getting even more trouble since she had the chieftain's daughter and youngest son imprisoned."

"Maybe this chieftain could help us recover our lost people?"

"It is my belief that he would. He seems to want to get his daughter out of the Go'auld's prison as well."

"Well, maybe I should meet this chieftain. Be ready, T. We leave in one hour."

"As you wish, O'Neill."

STANDING in front of the event horizon of the Stargate, O'Neill remembered the second time he did this. The day he had gone through the gate a second time, back to Abydos in order to bring Daniel back to Earth. He closed his eyes for a moment and remembered pushing Carter through the event horizon. That was when they had first lost Sha're to Apophis. When he opened his eyes and looked at the man next to him, he remembered that that was also when he gained a great friend.

"Shall we go, O'Neill?"

"We're off to see the wizard," Jack replied, almost smiling as he walked into the event horizon.

"I AM Da'norn, cheiftain of these people. My oldest son, To'marn, tells me you wish to talk to me about helping you to recover your people from the false goddess."

"In return, we are willing to help you recover your daughter from her as well." O'Neill was glad this man spoke English. "Can we work together?"

"I believe we can." Da'norn held out his hand and O'Neill shook it, smiling.

DANIEL was sitting next to She'tiana. She was concious, though barely, thanks to Carter forcing some food and clean water into her. She was in pain though. That bothered Daniel even though Sam had told him that it appeared to be something that she couldn't do anything about. They were both hopeful that they could find a way to get her out of the manacles and back to Earth to fix whatever the problem was quickly.

Sam had dragged Talorn off, away from Shey for a few moments and taken him through the tunnels that they had been shown. Tunnels that led to the outside. To freedom. Daniel had offered to stay next to Shey and take care of her while he walked with Sam.

"Shey? Shey, please talk to me."

Weakly, Shey lifted one hand and placed it over the one sitting on his right knee. She smiled as she read him. "You must deal with the loss of those you have cared for, Daniel. You have to deal with those emotions.before they cause more problems for you."

"Shey, just talk to me. We have to find a way to free you from these manacles and get you out of here."

"We have tried, Daniel. There is no way to get my wrists out of them. We don't know where the controls are. I'm tired, Daniel. Let me sleep."

"Rest, Shey. I'll watch over you."

"As I shall you, my Daniel." She lay her head on his lap and fell asleep. Daniel felt a feeling go through him as he realized that she had tapped into his feelings for Sha're.

SAM and Talorn were walking outside the prison when several of Talorn's people ran up to them. "Your Highness, there are strangers in the village. They have promised to help us to bring both yourself and your sister out of the prison."

Sam and Talorn just looked at each other and then ran toward the village with the others.

"O'NEILL." Teal'c's voice drew Jack's attention away from the cheiftain and toward the two figures running toward the village.

'Sam!' He turned fully toward his 2IC and walked, fighting to keep himself from running over and sweeping her into his arms, fully intending to make sure that she was alright. "Carter. Where's Daniel?"

"Talorn, why have you left your sister?"

"Daniel's back at the prison, sir. He's sitting with Talorn's sister and trying to figure out a way to release her from her manacles." At this point, Sam turned to Shey's father. "Your daughter is very weak. I'm not sure what is wrong with her but she has a hard time staying concious. When we get her free, I would like your permission to take her to Earth with us. In order to have our healer look her over."

"May Talorn accompany her? She must have assistance."

"Of course. If that will make you feel more secure about allowing her to go."

"Thank you. I assume that since you have said that this Daniel is with my daughter, you would be Colonel Carter."

"Yes, sir. I have to return quickly. The Go'auld will find me gone and I have no wish to bring trouble on your people."

"The false one causes her own trouble. My people will not betray the Morrigan. No matter what she does to us." He reached out and took Sam's hand in both of his. "I have faith that the Morrigan will show you the way to free my daughter."

DANIEL felt a hand on his shoulder and opened his eyes with a start. "Jack?"

"It's me, Space Monkey. When Teal'c came back and told me what had happened, I decided to come on through and help out." Jack stood back for a moment and Sam stepped up to check up on Shey.

"How is she, Daniel?"

Daniel gently swept her hair back from her face. "She seems to be sleeping. She's so weak, Sam. We have to get her out of here."

"We will, Daniel. We will."

A/N: I hope that this helps. I'm not sure just where I'm taking this. I just wanted to get something more posted for this. It was an idea that I had and the muses just won't leave me alone.


	3. Freedom At Last

DISCLAIMER: God I wish. Don't own the characters you recognize.

SUMMARY: Daniel has met a young woman who is held prisoner by the Go'auld. In trying to free her, he falls in love. He doesn't know yet what will happen to her. Don't worry. I don't plan on killing her off. I like Daniel and think he deserves a love that doesn't get killed or taken over by Go'auld.

JACK, Sam, Teal'c and Daniel were searching the cell, trying to find the controls to release the manacles on Shey's wrists and ankles. "Where are the controls to this thing?" Jack was getting frustrated.

"We've checked all the walls, sir. Nothing. Maybe they aren't in the cell."

Daniel started checking out the pillars scattered throughout the cell. On the pillar next to where Shey sat, a panel opened up when he pressed on one edge of it. "Sam. I think I may have found it."

Sam ran over. "This is it. I'm pretty sure it is." She started tinkering. Jack just smiled watching her go at this with all the tenacity he knew she would.

ABOUT an hour later, there was an audible click and the manacles fell away from Shey's wrists and ankles. Talorn picked up his sister and practically ran for the tunnels. "I guess he really wanted to get her out of here," Jack said with his trademark shrug. The team followed him.

TALORN carried Shey a good distance from the prison and into the woods nearby. When he stopped, it was right beside a small stream. He knelt down, laying his sister beside the stream. Dipping his hand in the water, he allowed it to drip over Shey's forehead.

Daniel and Sam watched with baited breath as her head started moving back and forth. Soon, her eyes fluttered open and Daniel saw them for the first time.

Weakly, she called for her brother. "I'm here, Shey. We got you out of there. We're in the glen."

"I can get home from here. I know the way." She struggled to her feet.

"But, Shey. You've been ill. Take it easy," Daniel cautioned.

"I always get ill when I'm locked inside for long periods of time. I'm outside and getting stronger." She had finally made it to her feet and started walking, shakily at first but getting steadier with each step.

She was smiling. However, that smile disappeared after she stumbled into Teal'c. She used her hands to begin mapping his face. Jack noticed at that moment that she must be blind. "Shey?" Daniel asked, an entire question in that one word.

"Yes, Daniel. I'm blind." She continued to map Teal'c's face until she reached the gold seal on his forehead. When she touched that, her smiled faded and she dropped her hands to her sides. Backing away from him, she had a look of stark terror on her face.

"What's wrong, Shey?" Talorn asked, coming up behind her and putting his arm around her shoulders.

"He's like them. Like the guards that came to the cell. The ones that tortured you, Talorn."

Daniel stepped forward. "No! Shey, no. He used to be. He's not one of them anymore. He's our friend."

He lifted her hand and put it to his forehead. "I'm not one of them. Neither is Sam. Or Jack. He doesn't even have a symbiote anymore. Shey, please trust me."

Shey stood up straight again. "I'm sorry. The guards who came for Talorn told me that they would never let us go."

"And they probably wouldn't have if we hadn't found the control panel to the manacles. That was what got you and Talorn out of there on a permanent basis."

"By the way, Danny, good job." Jack's voice was strange to Shey's ears. She had only heard it twice in the cell.

"And who are you?"

"I'm General Jack O'Neill." Shey nodded. Now she had a voice to put with Sam's memories. She knew the words but didn't know the voice. She stepped up to him and mapped his face as well with her hands to put a face to the name and voice.

The sense of loss that came off the man almost knocked her to her knees. She could tell that it was involving Sam but not why. Daniel had been right behind her when she stumbled and wrapped one arm around her shoulders.

"Shey?"

"Much loss. Deep loss." She shook her head but she couldn't let it go. "Why? You ask why him and not you. You wonder why now. You must deal with these emotions. You must make the decision. Only then can you be free of this pain."

Jack was puzzled. He didn't understand what Shey was talking about. Had she sensed something about him and Sam? 'There is no Jack and Sam. There couldn't be. There was just no way. She wouldn't give up her career for any man and I can't just walk away from the job that has kept me from going crazy so many times.'

"Jack, she reads emotions. When she touches someone, she picks up on the emotional baggage that they haven't dealt with in their life. She did it to me and Sam."

"What did she touch in you, Carter?"

Only an idiot could have missed the flash of pain that crossed Sam's face. "Nothing important, sir. Nothing important."

Shey could tell now why she was picking up what she had from the two of them. They wanted each other but couldn't have each other for some reason or another. She had to get them together. It was what they both needed.

A/N: I think I know how I'm going to get Pete out of Sam's life. But there you go. You'll just have to stay tuned to find out what I do next.


	4. Home and Family

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. God I wish though. Don't sue, I'm not making any money off this.

SUMMARY: Daniel has met a young woman that he has strong feelings for. He and the rest of SG-1 (including Jack) have helped to break her out of the prison they had been in. He's starting to realize that he's falling for her and that she knows of the emotions between Sam and Jack. What will happen when Pete finds out about all this?

JACK and Teal'c stood back as Da'norn kissed his daughter and wished her a safe journey. He knew that the chieftain was heartbroken to be sending his only daughter off-world this way but he also knew that her father believed it was one way to keep her safe from the Go'auld.

"Father, we will be safe. I pray that the Morrigan will protect you and our people in the future as she has done in the past."

"With your prayers, child, I'm sure she will. Talorn, take care of your sister. Bring her back to us when this is over. We will let you know when it is safe once again."

"As always, Father. I will care for Shey as I always have."

"Go now. Before the false one's guards discover that you have gone."

Talorn took his sister's hand and led her away from the village. "Come, Shey. We have to follow the others back to their world." The two walked away from the village.

SHEY and Talorn stood in front of the Stargate as Sam dialed home. "I feel something. Like a subtle tingling at the back of my neck."

"It's ok, Shey. It's perfectly safe. I've gone through the gate more than a hundred times. There's nothing to worry about." He looked up to Talorn. "May I take her through the Gate?"

Talorn smiled at the look on Daniel's face. "Of course. Just be careful with her."

"Always." Daniel took Shey's hand. He led her up to the Gate which was now active. "It can be a bit unnerving the first time through. Are you ready?"

"I suppose." She sounded kind of nervous. "I've never left the planet before. Father rarely let me go far from the village."

With that, Daniel held onto her arm as the two of them stepped into the event horizon and disappeared. Sam stepped up to Talorn. "Are you ready, Talorn?"

"As much as I would rather stay and help my people fight, I must honor my father's wishes. I am ready."

Sam walked with him up to the Gate and they walked through, followed shortly by Teal'c and Jack.

SHEY stumbled a bit as she and Daniel stepped out into the embarkation room. Daniel held onto her and steadied her. She seemed a bit disoriented. "Are you okay, Shey?"

"I will be. I've never experienced anything like that before." Just then, Talorn and Sam walked through and Talorn went straight over to his sister.

"Shey?"

"I will be fine, Talorn. Daniel warned me it would be a bit disorienting to go through the Gate. I just need a moment." She took a deep breath and stood up straight. "I'm okay now."

Jack and Teal'c walked through the event horizon and the gate shut down. "Are the two of you alright?" Jack asked as he walked down the ramp.

"We will be fine. Thank you, General."

"We'll have someone find you some quarters here on base."

"We are inside, yes?" Shey's question revealed her fear that she would be kept inside like the Go'auld had done.

"Yes. If it would help, I can make arrangements for you to camp out on the surface. As long as you stay within the perimeter of the base."

Shey seemed to relax at Jack's offer. "That would be wonderful, General. Thank you. I would appreciate it."

"Colonel Carter, you have a visitor waiting in the briefing room." Sargeant Siler's voice interrupted the discussion in the Gate room.

"Who is it, sargeant?"

"It's your father. He came through just shortly before you returned. I asked if he would be staying long but he said he just wanted to talk to you for a minute."

"General, if you would excuse me?"

"Certainly, Colonel. In fact, if you would, please tell Dad that I'd like to talk to him when he's done talking to you?"

"Of course, sir." Sam left the room, heading for the briefing room.

"DAD." Sam walked into the room and went straight for a hug from her father. "I'm glad to see you."

"I heard that you had been captured. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Dad. Didn't even get tortured. Jack and Teal'c helped us get out of there and we brought some new friends back with us."

"I noticed. The girl is blind, yes?"

"Yes. And she's a powerful empath. It's touch related but she's strong. She touches emotions that people haven't dealt with."

"Well, that's not what I came to talk to you about."

"What?"

"I've heard a rumor that my little girl is engaged to be married."

"Pete proposed. I was going to try to get a hold of you when we got back. I guess you heard before that." Sam hung her head.

"Baby, I'm not mad. I just wish I'd heard about it from you instead of others." Jacob felt bad. He hadn't meant to upset Sam. He didn't know that it wasn't that that had upset his little girl.

She was still thinking about what Shey had said on the planet. She wanted Jack but had settled for Pete. She knew that Pete could never take Jack's place. But she also knew that there was no way she could have Jack. The regulations alone saw to that. If she even had the courage to tell him how she felt.

"So why did you tell him yes?"

"Dad?" Her head snapped up.

"Sammie, I've known you all your life. Did you really think you could hide your feelings for Jack from me? I saw how you were during the X-301 incident. You were terrified. You thought you had lost him. And now you're just letting him walk away."

"Dad, you know the regulations. You know that even if I still ----"

"IF you still had feelings for Jack? Don't you mean even though you still have feelings for him? And yes, I do know the regs. But I also know there's always a way around the rules."

"Dad," she started, closing the door to the briefing room, knowing that Jack was on his way up. "I don't know what to do. That girl that came through the Gate with us? She knew about the way I felt. She knew about the dreams I had after Jack was frozen. I don't know how to work around the rules. I've always just followed the rules and done things the way I was supposed to." She sat down in a chair with her head in her hands. "How can I possibly have Jack? What if he doesn't feel the same way? What then?"

"How are you ever going to know if you don't try?" Jacob lowered his head. Samantha, you know how much your father loves you. Can you possibly doubt that General O'Neill does not feel for you what you feel for him? I have seen the way he looks at you. The way he worries when you are injured. When Jolinar sacrificed herself for you, it was because she looked inside your mind and saw your feelings for Jack. He was so worried for you when he thought you were dying.

Selmack was only speaking from what he knew. What he had seen through Jacob's eyes. But it was enough. It was enough to convince him that Sam and Jack should be together and that anyone who came between them was in the wrong.

Jacob took over. "Sammie, if it's Jack you want, don't settle for anyone else. I can help you find a way around the regs. Settling for Pete wouldn't be fair to any of you."

"I know, Dad. Just give me some time to think about it." She looked up. "By the way, Jack wants to talk to you when we're through."

"Ok. Are you going to be ok now?"

Sam nodded. "I think so. I just need some time to sort everything out in my head." She stood up. "It's been great to see you again, Dad."

"You too, honey." Jacob hugged his daughter once again. "Now, I guess I should go talk to Jack." Jacob left the room with Sam right behind him. As he headed into the Gate room, he bumped into Shey who was leaving the room with Talorn and Daniel.

Shey turned her face up toward Jacob. "She doesn't blame you for her death. Let it go. It's part of the past. She has long since forgiven you."

With that, Talorn took his sister's arm and walked her down the hall. Jacob left just staring after her.

"Hey, Jacob. Just the man I wanted to see."

Jacob shook off his feeling of amazement. How could she see his feelings of guilt so clearly? "So I hear, Jack. What can I do for you?"

"I need some advice. Can we go talk in my office?"

"Sure." And the two of them left the Gate room.

A/N: Ok. This chapter was a lot longer than the others but I had to get to just the right spot. Fair warning to anyone who likes Pete: Major Pete bashing (figurative and literal) coming in future chapters.


	5. What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

DISCLAIMER: Not mine but God I wish. Not making any money here so don't bother suing.

SUMMARY: Daniel is quickly falling for She'tiana, a young woman he met on another planet. She and her twin brother have escaped Go'auld captivity with SG-1's help and are now on Earth because their father thinks that they would actually be safer there than on their own homeworld.

SPOILERS: Just about anything that shows Sam and Jack's feelings for each other. And since this is set in early Season 8, Sam said yes to Pete's proposal. But you'll see how I feel about that turn of events.

**SAM** walked through the door of her house and flicked on the living room light. She walked through the house quietly, knowing that Cassie was asleep in her room and had school the next morning. Jack had ordered both her and Daniel to take a week of downtime. 'What am I going to do with a week of leave? He told me to spend some time with Cassie but she's got school next week.' Suddenly, an idea came to Sam. 'I'll pull Cassie out of school for a week and take her camping with me. Just the two of us girls. Cassie'll enjoy that. She's always telling me that she doesn't get to spend enough time with me.'

That decided, Sam curled up in her bed and was asleep almost instantly.

**CASSIE** walked into the kitchen at about 7:30 the next morning to find that Sam had breakfast waiting for her. "Sam, you're back. Did everything go ok?"

"We made some new friends and spent a couple of days in the dungeon of a Go'auld. We even brought two of our new friends back with us. A young woman and her brother."

"A dungeon? Again? What is it with you guys and dungeons?" Cassie said teasingly. She always teased Sam and Daniel when they got captured. Sam giggled. "By the way, not that I'm not happy to see you here, but why aren't you at the base already?"

"Jack, the man who thought he would have a hard time 'being the man', ordered me to take a week of leave. He said he didn't even want to see me on the base for the whole week." She took a deep breath. "Cassie, how would you feel about taking a week off of school and going camping with me?"

"Just the two of us? That would be great! When do we leave?"

Sam laughed. "Calm down. We'll leave tomorrow morning. I won't even take my cell phone. That way we don't get interrupted."

"Awesome! Does that include fishing and everything?"

"You bet. We'll go get the licenses on the way out and be gone."

"WOOOOHOOOO!" Cassie started dancing around the kitchen as she ate. Sam started laughing hard. She laughed until tears ran down her face.

Sam waited until Cassie had left for school to clean up. Then, she went for a nice long soak in the tub until she had to face Cassie's unending enthusiasm all over again.

**SAM** was in the grocery store when she bumped into Daniel. "Daniel, I'm surprised that you left the base. You seemed quite -- content -- spending time with Shey and Talorn."

"I was. I needed a few things though. I came to get some food. So, what are you up to?"

"Cassie and I are going to leave in the morning to go up into the mountains for a week long, girls-only camping trip."

"Be careful. I heard that the weather's been a little unusual lately."

"Gee," she smiled. "Where's a weather control device when you need one?" The smile on her face told Daniel exactly what she was thinking of.

"Shame there's no such thing." He smiled at her in return, remembering the hassle they had gone through to get the Touchstone back. He mouthed the word 'Anymore.'

Sam chuckled as she continued down the aisle. She finished her shopping and went home to get things ready for the trip in the morning.

**AT 5:30 **the next morning, Sam and Cassie left the house for a week in the mountains. They were so excited that Sam didn't even think to let Pete know that she wouldn't be home for the week. Little did she know how that small omission would turn out.

**PETE** Shanahan threw the phone down on his desk. Sam hadn't been home all week. Suddenly, he had an idea. He picked up the phone and dialed another number. "Hello, Jack. This is Pete."

"Pete. What can I do ya for?"

"I can't seem to find Sam. She isn't home and isn't answering either her cell phone or her home phone. I haven't seen her all week."

"Neither have I, Pete. I ordered both her and Daniel to take a week off. I told her that she wasn't not to even be on base for that week. She needed some rest."

"But where could she be?"

"Pete, I don't know. She could have decided to go spend some time with her brother and his family. She's an adult. She has the right to do things like that. She's not answerable to anyone but herself."

"But she should have let someone know where she went. What if something happens to her father? How would anyone get in touch with her?"

"IF anything happened to her father, or you for that matter, we would be able to get a hold of her. She knows this and is obviously quite comfortable with it."

"What do you mean? Do you guys have some kind of tracker built in or something?"

"Something. I can't tell you the details. You know too much about the program as it is."

"Sam is MINE! You have to tell me where she is! You have to! She's mine! Not yours, mine!"

"She doesn't belong to you. She belongs to herself. And I don't have to tell you where she is. Because I don't know myself." With that, Jack hung up the phone and sighed. 'What did she ever see in that idiot?'

**SAM** and Cassie pulled into the driveway with smiles on their faces. They had had a wonderful time, even if it was a little chilly.

Sam's smile died quickly when she saw the look on Pete's face as he sat on her front steps. He really didn't look happy. Standing, he didn't even acknowledge Cassie as the two of them got of the car and walked toward the house.

"Sam," he said shortly.

Sam turned to Cassie. "Go on inside, honey. I'll be in shortly." Cassie nodded and went into the house through the garage. Unbeknowst to either Sam or Pete, she grabbed Sam's cell phone and positioned herself where she could see what was happening.

"Where in the hell have you been all week? I called and called! I even called the base! Only to be told that you were under orders to take a week's leave! That you weren't even supposed to be on base during that week!"

He was loosing his cool. Sam needed to calm him down and get him out of here. "I wasn't at the base. Cassie and I went camping."

"You didn't even answer your cell phone!" Okay. Now his voice was getting loud enough to attract the neighbors' attention.

"I didn't have it with me. I just wanted to spend some time with Cassie. She doesn't get to see me that often. What with college and all."

"You should have told someone where you were going! What if something had happened to me? What about your dad? How would anyone have gotten ahold of you? What if something had happened to you up there? How would you have gotten help?"

"Pete calm down. You're getting everyone's attention. Why don't we go inside and talk about this?"

"You will answer me now!"

"We aren't married yet. You are neither my husband nor my father. And if you can't control yourself, you'll have to leave." She tried to push past him.

That was when he grabbed her arm. Cassie instantly speed dialed Daniel's number. "Daniel, it's Cassie," she whispered shakily when he answered. "Pete's here at Sam's and he's causing trouble. Please come quickly."

"Is Sam ok?" Just then, Cassie watched as Sam threw off Pete's hand.

"If you ever touch me like that again, you'll draw back a bloody stump. And that's NOT a threat." Pete spun around and stormed off.

Cassie smiled as she told Daniel that Sam was fine now and that Pete was gone.

"Ok. Just call me back if he comes back tonight. See ya later."

"Thanks, Daniel. See ya."

Cassie turned off the phone and turned as Sam walked in the house. "Cassie?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"Why are you holding my cell phone?"

"I was watching you with him. I called Daniel when Pete grabbed you. I didn't want him to hurt you." Cassie looked about ready to cry.

"Cassie, come here." Sam held her arms open to show that she wasn't angry. Cassie walked right into them. They stood like that for a few minutes before Sam let her go. "Everything will be fine. You'll see. He's not going to hurt me. Now why don't you go on to bed? I'm just going to take a shower and then I plan on going to bed myself. After all, it's back to work for me tomorrow."

"Ok." Cassie nodded and headed off to bed.

When she heard Cassie's bedroom door close, Sam's shoulders slumped and she sat down on the couch with her head in her hands.

'What have I gotten myself into?'


	6. Rough Night

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Not mine. Not making any money off this. But a girl can dream can't she????

SUMMARY: Sam is starting to realize that maybe she made a mistake by accepting Pete's proposal. What is she going to do about it and can she save herself before it's too late? Meanwhile, Daniel is fast falling in love with a young lady he met off world.

SPOILERS:Right up through Affinity. That was where I got upset. Sam and Jack need to be together. Pete's just in the way.

A/N: Pete lovers, beware. I do not like Pete and have some serious Pete bashing to do before I can take this story where it's supposed to go. You have been warned.

**

* * *

**

**Daniel **knew, by the way she looked at him in the commissary, that she knew that Cassie had called him the night before. He sat down next to her.

"Sam, Cassie was worried about you. That's all. If I had, for even one moment, thought that either one of you was actually in danger, I would have been there in a moment."

"I know. And I appreciate it, Daniel. Really I do. But everything turned out just fine. Pete would never hurt me. Not intentionally." Some part of her inside cringed. '_Protecting him. Denial. Here we go again.'_

"Just don't let this become another Jonas incident. That's the last thing you need right now."

"Daniel, I promise. This is nothing like Jonas." _'No. It's not like that. It IS that. All over again.'_ "Just do me a favor. Don't tell the General or my dad. You know how they are." _'Protective. That's what they are. You know that they'd kill him if they thought that he had hurt you.'_

"Only as long as you promise me that you'll take care of yourself. Just be careful, Sam. That's all I ask."

"You have a deal." They shook hands over a bowl of Sam's blue jello.

**

* * *

**

**On Thursday**, Pete called Sam. She didn't answer the phone the first or even the second time it rang. On the third call, however, she decided that she had better go ahead and answer it.

"Sam, thank God! I was beginning to think that Jack had lied to me about you being planetside for the time being."

"Checking up on me, Pete?"

"Of course not! I just wanted to make sure that you would be home. Can I take you to dinner tonight? I was a real ass a few days ago. I just want to apologize. Please?"

Sam faltered in her conviction that she would end things between them. "I guess. No repeats of that night?"

"I swear. Can I pick you up about 6?"

She was hoping that she wasn't getting in over her head. "Ok. I'll see you then."

"See you then. I do love you, Sam. You know that don't you?"

"I know, Pete." With that one little comment, she hung up the phone and went to get ready.

**

* * *

**

**Just **before Pete arrived at six, Cassie flew in and out of the house for a study date with a group of her friends. Sam hadn't even had a chance to tell her about Pete. She guessed she'd just have to tell her later.

**

* * *

**

**The date** went well enough. Pete had been the perfect gentleman through the whole thing. He held the doors for her as they entered and left the restaurant and held her chair as she sat down and stood up after the meal.

It wasn't until he pulled into her driveway and walked her to the door that his attitude changed.

When she had unlocked her door and turned to wish him a good night, he pushed his way into the house and sat down on the couch. "Pete, you can't stay. I have to go to bed. I have to be at work by 0600 tomorrow. I'm going to be working on some special projects."

"What about your precious team?" he sneered. "What are they doing?"

"Daniel's going off-world with another team and Teal'c is visiting his son. R'yac and Kar'yn are expecting their first child soon. I'm going to be doing some fine tuning on the Gate."

"That doesn't sound like anything that can't be put off for a few hours to spend some time with me. What about Jack? He seemed kind of distracted when I called him earlier to make sure that you weren't needed on base tonight."

"He has to go to Washington tomorrow morning to brief both the President and General Hammond."

"So there won't be anyone around for you to talk to tomorrow?"

"I'm supposed to spend some time with our off-world visitors."

"I think I should spend the night."  
  
"Pete, I think you should go home."  
  
"I want to make love to you tonight. We haven't done that in a long time."

"Not tonight." Sam was getting scared. She hadn't seen this coming and right now didn't know what to do. She hoped that this would be one night that Cassie had cut short her study group.

Pete got up and walked right up to Sam, backing her up until she was flush against the wall. "I said tonight. I meant tonight."

"No. I want to go to sleep alone tonight."

Sam never saw the slap coming. She only felt it swipe across her face. Placing her own hand alongside her face, she looked at Pete in shock.

Pete was now thinking that he had her right where he wanted her. She would do as he said now. He grabbed her arm and started walking her down the hall toward her bedroom.

Sam snapped out of her shock about the time Pete shoved her into the bedroom. "We are not doing this tonight," she bit out at him.

"I said we are. And I mean we are."

She tried to pull away from him. He held on for a few minutes more before letting go and watching as she fell to the floor. He dragged her back to her feet and before she could get herself together enough to mount an attack against him, he punched her twice in rapid succession. Once in the stomach and once in the face.

When his fist connected with her face, Sam spun out of his grasp and fell against her dresser, hitting her head and knocking her out. When Pete saw her laying on the floor, bleeding from a cut on her forehead, he ran. Out of the house and into the night.

**

* * *

**

**Cassie **walked through the front door at about midnight, hoping that Sam wouldn't be too angry. She walked down the hallway and noticed that Sam's bedroom door was wide open and the light was on.

Walking through Sam's bedroom door, Cassie pulled up short. "Oh God!" There lay Sam, unconcious and bleeding from the wound on her head.

Cassie knelt beside Sam in tears. "Sam! Sam! Sam, wake up!"

Looking around, Cassie saw the phone sitting in its usual place on the end table. She ran over and called the base. Dr. Brightman told her that he would be there shortly, knowing that Sam couldn't go to a regular hospital. Not with the protein markers Jolinar had left in her body.

Cassie was waiting at the front door when he arrived. She accompanied him as they took Sam back to the base infirmary.

**

* * *

**

**Sam **woke up the next morning to find herself with one hell of a headache and laying on a bed in the infirmary on base. Cassie was sleeping on a nearby bed.

Dr. Brightman walked out of his office to see Sam trying to sit up. "Take it easy, Colonel. You have quite a nasty bump on the head. Care to tell me how this happened?"

"It's nothing. Really. I just fell and hit my head on the dresser in my room."

"And what about the bruise on your face?"

"It's ---" He held up a hand before she could come up with another lie.

"Don't tell me it's nothing. I've seen battered women before. My own daughter was in an abusive relationship for a long time."  
  
"Really, Dr. Brightman. It's not what you think."

"Who hit you, Colonel? You can't tell me that you did this to yourself."

Sam's shoulders slumped in defeat. "I wish I could. It was my fiance."

"I hope you broke off the engagement."

"Not before he did this to me. I don't ever want to see him again. Not as long as I live."

"At least you got smart." The doctor looked closely at Sam. "What's wrong?"

"It hurts to breathe. He hit me. I thought in the stomach but now I'm thinking it might have been in the ribs."

"Let me take a look." As Sam lay back and pulled up her shirt so the doctor could see, he found the large purple bruise that adorned her abdomen. "I think we ought to xray this. Make sure there's no broken ribs."

Sam just nodded as she sat up. "Would you do me a favor, doc? Don't tell my team or the General."

"I won't as long as you take care of this now. Don't wait. I would hate to see what would happen to that beautiful young woman that wouldn't leave your side last night. She had the presence of mind to call me instead of calling an ambulance. She's smart."

"I will. After last night, I don't want him as a part of my life."

**

* * *

**

**Just **after the doctor had settled Sam back in the bed, Shey and Talorn found their way into the infirmary. "Samantha, are you alright?"

"Yes, Shey. I'll be fine. A little bruising but I'm ok."

"Cassandra told us that she had found you unconcious at home. Thankfully, she called Dr. Brightman. I hope that you heal fast."

"I usually do. Thankfully, I don't have any broken ribs."

"Have you dealt with those emotions?" She didn't have to say any more about it. Sam knew which emotions she meant.

"I'm trying to." Daniel rounded the corner.

"Shey, the guard at the front gate told me that you and Talorn had come down here." Just then, he saw Sam laying on the bed. "Sam? What happened?"

"Nothing to worry about, Daniel. I just tripped and fell. Clumsy of me, huh?" _'Lying to your teammate? Shame on you, Sam. He'll figure it out. He's too smart not to.'_

"Are you sure? It looks like someone hit you."

"How was the trip? Which planet did you guys go to?"

"P7H-446. It looked like there had once been a very advanced civilization there. Lots of ruins and artifacts. I'm going to talk to Jack and see if we can set up a site there so that we can study it."

_At least, he's easily sidetracked. It won't be that easy with Jack._

* * *

A/N: There you go. Just for all my fellow Pete Bashers. Now things are starting to get interesting. What's Jack going to do if (when) he finds out.


	7. Nightmares and Generals

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Not mine. But I can dream can't I?

SUMMARY: Daniel has met and brought back to Earth a young woman and her twin brother. Sam's discovered a different side of Pete which took her running to the SGC for shelter.

SPOILERS: Up through Affinity. When Sam told Pete that she'd marry him, it was something that I really didn't like.

**

* * *

**

**Sam** didn't want to leave the base. However, when Daniel told her that she needed clothes on base as did Cassie, she agreed to go home on the condition that she be accompanied by Daniel and some of the SFs on base. She was almost afraid that Pete would show up while she had to protect Cassie.

On the way back through the gate, Daniel left instructions that Pete was not to be allowed on base.

Inside, Sam went straight back to her quarters. Cassie watched her go with tears in her eyes. "What has he done to her?"

Daniel put his arm around her shoulders. "We'll take care of her, Cassie. I promise."

**

* * *

**

**Jack** woke up to the phone in his hotel room ringing. He hadn't planned on falling asleep after the briefing but, then again, he hadn't planned on boring himself into a coma either. But then he had received the invitation to a reception at the White House that night. That was when he decided to take a nap. After all, he had to at least look awake when he showed up tonight.

"O'Neill."

"Jack, it's Daniel. We need you to come back to base. Quick. Something's happened to Sam. Cassie came home the other night from study group and found her unconcious on her bedroom floor. Jack, it looks like she's been hit. One side of her face is all swollen and bruised and she's favoring some of her ribs. She won't talk to anyone but I think Pete did it."

"I'll be back in six hours. She'll talk to me. Even if I have to make it an order."

"Be careful with her, Jack. She won't even let Cassie close to her. I stopped by her door a few minutes ago to take her to lunch in the commissary and she wouldn't even open the door. I even tried to bribe her with blue jello but nothing would get her to open the door. I took over command for her. She's not in any shape mentally to take care of this base."

"Don't worry, Danny. I'll take care of this. No one hits MY Sam and gets away with it."

He hung up the phone and immediately called General Hammond. He briefed the General on what was going on and asked him to make his apologies to the President for missing the reception that night. Then, he called the air field to have the plane readied to fly him back immediately. He barely remembered packing but suddenly his suitcase was at his feet and he was waiting out in front of the hotel for the car to take him to the plane.

_'MY Sam? Where in the hell did that come from?'_

**

* * *

**

**Sam **was doing everything in her power to stay awake. She knew that, the minute she fell asleep, the nightmares would come. She knew it. She also knew that, right now, anyone trying to comfort her would probably get themselves a black eye for their trouble.

She had walked around her room for the past two hours. Sam had done so many situps and pushups that she actually lost count. She was looking around the room for something else to occupy her mind for a while when she spotted the canvas bag in the corner.

Picking it up, she smiled sadly. Her grandmother had given this bag to her mother who had left it to her. She remembered all the times that she, her mother, and grandmother had sat on the front porch knitting or crocheting for hours on weekends or vacations. It was always a tension reliever.

She sat back with her back against the wall and pulled out the ball of yarn and the needles. She started crocheting, no plans in mind just doing it. She just wanted to calm down.

Two hours after sitting down to start, Sam's head drooped to her chest. She was asleep. A deep sleep. But how long before the nightmares began to haunt her sleep?

**

* * *

**

**Pete** stood at the gate to the base. "I want to see Colonel Carter."

"I'm sorry, Detective Shanahan. I'm under orders to not allow you on base." The guard was aware that Pete was emotionally unstable and he was also aware that it was, in all likelihood, this man that had put Colonel Carter into the infirmary late last night. He had no sympathy for the man and would pay for the privilege of watching General O'Neill make him pay for what he had done to the Colonel.

"You will let me in to see her."

"No, sir. I will not. I'm under orders."

Just then, Jack pulled up to the gate. The guard snapped a salute. Jack opened the door to the car. He stepped out and up to Pete. "Hello, Pete."

"Jack, the guard won't let me on base. He says he's under orders."

"That's because we have a clue as to who left the bruise on her face that has half of her face swollen up." Jack leaned in to Pete. "If I find out that you've been harrassing Sam again, I'll take great pride in beating the ever living hell out of you. And, in case your wondering, no one will ever even wonder where you went."

Just then, Jack got back into his car and proceeded into the base. Pete was left standing outside the gate to consider Jack's words.

**

* * *

**

**Daniel** met Jack at the beginning level of the SGC. "She's still in her room. Jack, I don't know what to do. I've never seen Sam like this."

Jack nodded. Sam was scared. She needed someone to take care of her.

He turned away from Daniel and stalked down the hallway toward the elevator. He was going straight to Sam's room. And no one had better get in his way.

**

* * *

**

**Cassie** was relieved to see Jack coming down the hall. Maybe he could snap Sam out of this funk. She was whimpering in her sleep in the room. Cassie could hear her but couldn't get in to help her. Sam had locked the door.

"Jack!" The nineteen-year-old threw herself into the General's arms sobbing. "I can't help her! She won't let me!"  
  
"It's ok, Cassie. I'll take care of her now. She'll be alright. Our Sam's a fighter. She won't let this keep her down for long." He stroked the young woman's hair. He wanted to comfort her but he could hear Sam's cries getting louder. "Let me go, Cass. She's starting to cry."

Cassie let go of Jack and stepped back. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. Jack stepped to the door and used his pass key to open Sam's door.

* * *

A/N: Hahahahaha!!!!!!! What a cliffhanger!


	8. Jack's Confession

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine. I wish. God do I wish.

SUMMARY: After accepting Pete's proposal, Sam has discovered a whole new side to the man. This new side left her in a state of shock and injured in the infirmary. Jack has flown back from DC where he was meeting with General Hammond and the President. Shey and Talorn are still camping on the surface within base perimeters.

SPOILERS: Up through Affinity.

**

* * *

**

**Jack** stood in the doorway to Sam's on base quarters watching her sleep. She was sitting up and looked really uncomfortable. "No," she moaned in her sleep. "Please. Don't. No more. I'll --"

Suddenly, her head flipped to one side very violently. Seeing the side of her head almost impact the wall was what made Jack move. He entered the room and shut the door behind him. His quiet footsteps placed him beside her bed in mere seconds.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Jack reached out and smoothed the hair back from his second's face. She looked so frightened. So vulnerable. Especially with that bruise on her face. He gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace so that her head was resting on his shoulder.

She was crying openly now. Even in her sleep. Something she had never done in front of him before. Tears streaming down her face soaked Jack's shirt. Jack just cradled her closely, rocking her with all the patience he could muster while, inside, he just wanted to kill Pete for putting her through this again.

"I'm here, Sam. I'm here. You're safe. I won't let him anywhere near you. I promise." He continued murmuring those same lines to her over and over until she calmed down. Even then, he didn't loosen his hold on her, still cradling her with all the tenderness he had in him.

He was a bit surprised when she pulled back from him and looked at him through puffy bloodshot eyes. "You were supposed to be in Washington." It wasn't a question.

"Well, when I get a phone call that tells me that one of my people ended up in the infirmary with a concussion and a bruise the size of Texas on one side of her face, I tend to drop everything to get back and find out what happened."

"I'm surprised."

"Oh."

"I didn't think Dr. Brightman would have called you."

"He didn't. Daniel did. He was worried about you. I was worried the whole way back."

"Sir, --"

"Look, Sam. We've been friends and all for more than 7 years. Did you really think that we wouldn't all band together to help you through this? The only reason Teal'c isn't here is because he's off world right now." He hung his head. "Did you think I wouldn't stand up for you?"

"NO! I could never believe that of you! You have always stood by our decisions. Even the ones that you should have shot us down on. You have always been there for each of us. How could I ever believe that you wouldn't be there for me now?"

"Sam, you're safe here. I revoked Pete's clearance. He's not allowed on base. No matter what happens." Jack looked away from Sam.

"What did you say to him?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know that look. The one that says 'I did something you won't like. And I'd do it again given the chance.' What did you say?"

"I told him that if I found out that he was harrassing you I wouldn't hesitate to beat the daylights out of him and it wouldn't matter because no one would even wonder where he had gone."

Sam giggled. Jack looked back at her. A giggle. That was a good sign. "What did I say about giggling, Colonel?

Smothering more giggles, Sam looked at Jack with a twinkle in her eye. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir."

He smiled at her. " I just want you to remember one thing, you're safe here. I promise you that."

She had a sad look again. "Promise?"

"I swear. As long as you're here, you're safe. I won't let him anywhere near you."

"Thank you, Jack."

Jack knew that he had to get the story out of her. He didn't want to but he knew it was necessary to help her get over it. "Carter." The tone of his voice told her the conversation was about to take a serious turn. "What happened? Why did he hit you?"

Sam hung her head. She hadn't wanted to tell Jack that the whole reason this had happened was that she had turned down Pete's attempts to get her to let him spend the night in her bed. "Please, sir. I --"

"I need to know. Just in case he decides to blow this thing out of porportion. I know it won't be easy. Hell, it wasn't easy for you to tell us about Jonas and that happened before you ever knew any of us."

"He hit me because I didn't want him to --" She couldn't. She just couldn't say it. She looked away from Jack. She couldn't stand to see the look on his face.

"Because you didn't want to have sex? You didn't want him to spend the night with you and so he hit you. You fell and hit your head and he took off."

"That appears to be the size of it, sir." She just couldn't look at him right now. She couldn't stand it if he thought she was a --

"Son of a bitch!" Jack stood up and started pacing the room. "I thought the guy was smarter than that. I mean, for cryin' out loud, he's a cop. They're the ones that tell everyone else that no means no. That a woman has the right to say no." He doubled up his fist and punched the wall with every bit of strength he had.

Sam had looked up when Jack had spouted off at first. But the sound of Jack's fist hitting the wall drew a look of stark terror to her blue eyes. When he grabbed his hand and starting cussing under his breath and calling himself stupid, she jumped into action. She took his hand in hers and ran her fingertips lightly over the bloody knuckles.

She grabbed the towel that hung by the sink and wet it down with warm water. Gently, Sam dabbed at the broken skin across Jack's hand. Jack was held spellbound for a moment. Suddenly, he placed two fingers under her chin and pulled her up to face him. Then, ever so gently, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

He looked into her eyes for some hint of what she was feeling. She looked rather dazed. He hadn't expected to do that and, judging by the look on her face, she hadn't been expecting it either. At least, she didn't seem upset by it.

"I have to go take care of a few things. I'll come back in about an hour to take you to dinner. Be ready."

"Yes, sir."

Jack left her room and she locked the door behind him, inwardly kicking herself for not saying something. The kiss had felt really nice.

**

* * *

**

**Jack **had already sat down and Sam was watching as Daniel helped Shey sit down at the same table with him. She didn't hear Talorn come up next to her.

Talorn cleared his throat, trying not to scare her. She turned to look at him. "Daniel seems very happy with his choice of dinner partners."

"Are you not happy with yours?"

"He's only looking out for me because that's his job. He doesn't think of me like that. Not anymore."

"Do not be so certain. I believe that his feelings are deeper than you believe. I have seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one else is watching. I saw the look in his eyes when he saw that you were unharmed in my village."

"Then why didn't he say anything when I told him that Pete had asked me to marry him? Why didn't he speak up then?"

"Maybe because he believed that this other man is the one you truly wanted. Maybe because he believes that you would tell him if you wanted to be with him."

"But that's the problem. We can't be together. There are too many rules about it. We aren't allowed unless one of us retires."

"Where there is a will, Colonel Carter, there is a way. Always there is a way."

With that, Talorn went to sit with the others, leaving Sam standing alone and watching them talk for a moment before she put down her tray and left the comissary.

**

* * *

**

**Jack **had been watching Sam out of the corner of his eye. He was surprised when she set her tray, untouched, on a nearby table and left the chow hall. Shey unerringly found his arm and lay her small hand on it.

"General O'Neill, you must help her. She believes you no longer care for her except as her commander."

"How could she think that? After everything we've been through together as a team and as friends, --"

"Jack, she's scared. She's finally admitting to herself how she feels about you, Pete and everything. She just doesn't know what to do."  
  
Jack put his fork down and looked at his hands. "And I don't know how to help her."

* * *

A/N: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Am I evil or what? Lots of fluff all around coming in future chapters. But Shey and Daniel will become a focal point soon. After all, the story is about them.


	9. I'm thinking of retiring

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine. Damn, I wish.

SUMMARY: Sam is hiding at the SGC after finding out about a side of Pete she hadn't seen before. Jack flew back from Washington the minute Daniel called him and told him about what was happening. Talorn and Shey can see that Jack and Sam love each other and should be together. Sam left the commissary before she could hear Jack say that he doesn't know how to help her.

SPOILERS: Up through this season, Affinity. I don't like Pete and want to get him out of the picture.

**

* * *

**

**Sam** was sitting on a cliff overlooking the whole city. She had tears in her eyes. _Talorn could see it. So could Shey. How many others? How many people know how I feel about him? Does Jack know?_

She felt someone coming up behind her. She turned her head to see Daniel leading Shey up the trail. Daniel looked up at her. "Shey had a headache. Too many emotions."

She nodded. "I just needed to get out of there. I can't be around the general right now."

"You're afraid that he knows how you feel." Daniel sounded so sure of himself. As if he knew what she was thinking. "Sam, he knows. He just doesn't know how to deal with it. He loves you. He may not admit it but he does. I've seen evidence. Seen all kinds of it."

"Daniel, whatever the general may have felt for me in the past is just that. In the past. No matter what I think or how I feel, that's the way it is. I don't have any more options. If I had pushed the issue back then, it might be different now but that chance is gone."

"No. Sam, it's not. He still feels the same. You didn't see the look on his face when we almost lost you with Jolinar. You weren't watching him while Martouf was using the device on you to enhance Jolinar's memories. When he realized that Fifth had taken you and the Asgard had just blown his ship out of space. If I didn't know better, I would have sworn that he was ready to beat the daylights out of Thor."

"Daniel, please." Shey had placed a gentle hand on Daniel's arm. "Samantha, while Daniel speaks the truth of the matter, it is your decision, and the general's, which dictates what you must do. It is not a decision to be made lightly. This decision will affect the rest of your life. Please think carefully. I would not wish to think that you rushed in somewhere."

"Sam, please. Just go talk to him. Talk as two people who care about each other, not as CO and second. For both your sakes." Daniel turned and led Shey back down the trail.

_' Maybe Daniel is right. Maybe I should talk to Jack as a friend. Not as someone in his direct chain of command.' _Sam stood up and started to walk down the trail back toward the entrance to the base.

**

* * *

**

**Meanwhile,** Jack was now sitting in his office, staring at his hands. He didn't know what to do. He knew that he wanted Sam and he hoped that everyone was right and that she still wanted to be with him. He knew that it felt so good when he had held her in her quarters. That when he kissed her forehead it felt right.

Suddenly, he stood up and went to the gate room. "Sargeant, I need to send a message to Jacob Carter with the Tok'ra."

**

* * *

**

**Daniel **and Shey sat beside the firelight in companionable silence. Daniel was sitting on a log and Shey sat on the ground beside him with her head on his lap. His arm was draped across her shoulder and lightly stroking her arm.

"Daniel, when you look at me, do you see me? Or do you see a link to your dead wife?"

"I see you, Shey. I haven't felt this way about anyone in a while. And while I will always miss Sha're and the life we could have had together, I want to be with you. I enjoy being with you. Even just sitting here like this. Just being near you gives me a sense of peace that I haven't known in a long time. I would be content if this was all the more you wanted from me."

"But you aspire to more." No question there. She could read him easily.

"I can't lie to you. I would really like to have a deeper relationship with you. But most of all, I want you to be comfortable with me. That's the main thing."

"Daniel, I am comfortable with you. I am happy with you. I have thought about a deeper relationship. I will not lie to you about that. I believe that I could be happy here on Earth for as long as it takes for my father to defeat the false one so long as I have you with me."

"Shey, as long as you want me, I will be here for you. Would it be alright if I kissed you?"

Shey's only response was to sit up and turn her face toward Daniel, who lightly brushed her lips with his own. Then, he returned for more. They kissed for several long minutes before Talorn cleared his throat to let them know that he had returned and their time alone together was ended.

**

* * *

**

**"You **wanted to talk to me, Jack?" Jacob had just walked through the Stargate in order to answer Jack's call for help.

"Jacob, about that offer you made me. Does it still stand?"

"Of course. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I need her, Jacob. I've just been too stubborn to see how much."

"Ok. I'll stay for a few days and help you set everything up."

"Thank you, Jacob." Jack led Jacob out of the gate room and through the complex to the quarters reserved specifically for Jacob when he was planetside.

**

* * *

**

**Sam** knocked on the door to Jack's office. "Come in."

Jack was surprised to see Sam open the door and come in. "What's up, Carter?"

"Sir, I'd like --" _As a friend, Sam. Not as his second in command._ "Jack, I'd like to talk to you. As friends. Not as CO and second. No rank. Just two friends talking freely about things."

_Oh God. She's going to tell me to take a hike. That I never should have kissed her._ "Of course, Sam."

Sam took a deep breath. _God, this is hard. I've only been his second in command for so long that I almost don't know how to be just a friend. _"Jack, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Some of it's been about Pete and I but the majority of it has been about you and I."

"I've been thinking about the same thing myself, Sam."

The next thing they knew, both of them spoke at the same time. "I'm thinking of retiring." Then, they looked at each other in shock.

* * *

A/N: Now what? I hope you're having fun Lady Reaper. This one is just for you.


	10. Happy Sam and Breakfast

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Still ain't mine. Still wishing though.

SUMMARY: Daniel has fallen in love with an extraplanetary visitor. Sam has discovered that Pete has a Jekyll and Hyde personality. Jack and Sam have just admitted to each other that they've thought about retiring.

SPOILERS: Up through season 8 Affinity. I hate the whole Pete/Sam thing. If the Powers That Be would just listen to the fans they would put Sam and Jack together.

**

* * *

**

**Both** Sam and Jack looked at each other. Simultaneously, they exclaimed, "But I was going to retire! You can't!"

Suddenly, they realized what they were doing and stopped. They started chuckling. "Great minds think alike," Jack said.

"That we do, Jack." Sam sat down in the chair opposite Jack. "What made you think of retiring? Why would you give this all up?"

"I'm not meant for command. Besides, I can still run the base as a civilian. That would be an advantage. I would be a civilian who was ex-military. I know how the base needs to run and what needs to be done. But as a civilian, the rest of the world, when and if the program goes public, wouldn't be able to complain about it being a military program. They wouldn't feel as threatened by it if it was in the hands of a civilian."

"But, then, ----"

"Then, you wouldn't be counted as being under my command. I could tell you things. Things like how much I worry about you when you go through that gate. How relieved I feel when you come back. How much it hurt when Teal'c came back from that planet alone to tell me what had happened to you and Daniel."

"Jack, --"

"Sam, please let me finish. I realized when Talorn told me that you believed that all I saw you as was my second in command, that I needed to have you in my life. On a full time basis. That's why I decided that since I couldn't ask you to give up your career, I would let mine go. I've been in the Air Force for a while now and I just feel like it's only fair to let you have your chance. I only hope you let me be part of your life. Sam, I love you. I have for a long time. It wasn't just when we admitted it during the whole Za'tarc thing. It was before that. I think I started knowing it when we got stuck in Antarctica. Or at least when we were recovering from that."

"Jack, I love you too. I wanted to tell you so many times. I just couldn't. I didn't want you to feel that you had to give up your career so that I could have mine. I just wanted to be with you and that was the only way I could think of to do that. And Pete doing what he did, that just made my decision easier." She bowed her head, trying to hide her tears. "When you were there to help me through this whole thing, I knew. I knew that I just couldn't continue on without you. I need you. I need you to help me be strong."

"Sam, --" Just then, a knock sounded at the door. The door opened and Jacob walked in. "Hey, Dad. What can I do ya for?"

"Sorry, Jack. Didn't realize that you were talking to someone."

"It's ok, Dad." Sam looked up at her father, forgetting for a moment about the shiner that covered the side of her face. She remembered quick enough when her father's gaze turned dark.

"Who did that?"

"Jacob, take it easy. Pete's clearance has been revoked. He can't get to her here and I won't let him get to her anywhere else either." Jack had stood up and moved between Sam and Jacob.

Jacob noticed the protective maneuver and calmed down. "Sorry, Sammie. I just get kind of crazed when I think of someone hurting my little girl."

Sam stood up and stepped in between Jack and Jacob. "Daddy, you always have been a little overprotective." She wrapped her arms around Jacob's waist and hugged her father tightly.

"So, is everything working out in here?"

"We were both thinking the same thing as it turns out. We were both thinking of retirement as the only option left. What do you think? Do you think they'd let me continue running the place as a civilian?"

"Well, a civilian running it, even an ex-military civilian, would be less threatening to the world at large when or if the program became public knowledge. So I don't think there would be a major problem. And if they have a complaint, I'll talk to them." Jacob smiled. "I guess that I'm not really needed right now. I'll go get some sleep for now. I'll talk to you two in the morning."

Jacob left the room. Sam turned to Jack and smiled. "I guess that settles the worry that Dad wouldn't understand. Or approve."

Jack opened his arms and Sam walked into them, wrapping her own around his waist. "I guess we're going to have some long talks coming up," Jack sighed.

"Yeah. I guess so. There's a lot of things to work out."

"It'll wait until tomorrow. Now that the stress of this thing is over I feel like getting some sleep."

"Me too. I guess we can meet for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Around 0700. We'll start the talking tomorrow. See you then, Sam."

"Ok, Jack." Neither one moved.

"I guess we should let go of each other so we can go get some sleep." Jack was sleepy enough that he didn't want to let Sam go.

Sam let go and pulled back. "I guess. It just felt so nice."

"That it did. We can do that some more tomorrow. And every day for a long time to come because you, my dear Colonel Carter, are stuck with me for a very long time."

"As you are with me, Jack O'Neill." She turned and left the room with a much lighter heart and almost a spring in her step. Jack locked his door a moment later and went off to his own room.

**

* * *

**

**The next **morning at 0700 sharp, Jack knocked at Sam's door. "Ready for breakfast, Sam?"

The door opened to a much more cheerful Sam. "I certainly am, Jack. Shall we go?"

The two of them walked side by side to the commissary, drawing glances the whole way. They seemed quite oblivious to the money exchanging hands as they walked down the hallway. At least it seemed that way until they reached the commissary.

When they saw Daniel and Teal'c exchanging money, they knew something was up. "How long have the bets been running?"

"What?" Sam couldn't believe it. She had heard rumors of people making bets on the relationship between her and Jack but she didn't think that Teal'c and Daniel would have been in on it.

"About three years. Give or take a month. Or six." Daniel had the decency to at least look ashamed that he had been caught betting on the two of them to get together. "Sam, if it makes you feel any better, --"

"It doesn't. No matter what you say. It doesn't make it any better." Sam was upset. "You, of all people, --"

"Sam, please. You have to understand. Most of us bet because we felt that you and Jack belonged together. A lot of people lost money when you said yes to Pete. I was one of them."

"I'm sorry, Daniel. But I just can't condone people betting on others relationships."

"Then why did you bet on Janet and I getting together?"

"How did you know that? I --"

"It doesn't matter how I know. It just matters that I know. My bet was made as a type of payback in kind for that."

"That whole deal is unimportant. The fact that the two of us have finally admitted to what we feel is the important thing." Sam was flustered and trying to change the subject.

"No problem. So how are you two going to get around the fraternization regulations?"

"We're still working on that. But we'll get it all worked out eventually." Sam took a bite of her omlette. "Thanks for the recommendation, general. This is fantastic."

"No problem, Carter. I kind of figured you'd like it." With that, Jack dug into his omlette.

* * *

A/N: There you go a second chapter in one day. Hope you all enjoy it.


	11. Hope in Death

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine. If it was, I certainly wouldn't be working at Walmart and living in Kansas now would I?

SUMMARY: Jack and Sam have actually admitted to each other that they love each other and are now trying to figure out how to work things out between them so they can be together. Daniel is falling deeper in love with Shey every day. So how do two people that are forbidden to be together by their jobs get a little quality time alone? Very carefully.

SPOILERS: Up through season 8 Affinity. I hate Pete so if you like him, consider youself warned: I participate in some major Pete bashing.

A/N: Thanks to everyone that's been leaving such wonderful reviews. The more review I have the faster the Muse pushes me to write.

**

* * *

**

**Sam **and Jack were sitting on a hillside together watching the world go by. Sam was sitting in front of Jack with her back against his chest and his legs to either side of her.

She sighed. "This feels so good. Just sitting here like this."

"I found out something interesting this morning. It seems even dear old Dad had a bet going on the two of us getting together."

"What?"

"Yeah. Apparently he thought we were going to take an awful lot longer than this to open our eyes and see things their way." He wrapped his arms around her a little tighter. She tensed a bit. He relaxed almost instantly. "What's wrong?"

"I didn't want to tell you. When Pete left me the shiner, he also bruised my ribs pretty good. Dr. Brightman did an x-ray. Nothing broken. Just heavily bruised. Which pretty much takes me out of the field for a while." She turned to put a palm against his cheek ever so lightly. "I'll be okay. Really, Jack. Especially now that I have you to protect me when I can't protect myself."

"Why didn't you fight back?"

"I was scared. He had never outright threatened Cassie but somehow I got the feeling that if I fought back he'd either have her taken away or that he'd hurt her in some way. I didn't want to find out if I was right or not. I won't take that kind of a chance with Cassie."

Jack just pulled her in to his embrace, being careful not to squeeze too hard. "I really wish I knew what I did to deserve you in my life."

**

* * *

**

**Shey **was sitting quietly at the campsite she and Talorn had named their temporary home when Daniel came up the mountain. "Shey, Talorn. We have a message for you from your father. It's coming through in just a few minutes."

Shey and Talorn both went back toward the base. They were eager to hear how the battle against the false one was faring.

**

* * *

**

**Walking **into the control room above the embarkation room, Shey and Talorn were eager to hear from there father. "Right over here, Talorn." Sargeant Siler was waiting by the screen.

As Talorn stepped up to the monitor, the picture came into focus. It was their father. But he had obviously been severely beaten. "Father, what is happening?" Talorn said.

"Talorn, She'tiana. My beloved children. I am currently unsure of how long this battle will take. Your older brother, To'marn, has fallen to the false one's forces. As have so many others. It appears to us that the Morrigan has abandon us. We are being slaughtered by the false one's forces."

"Father, how badly are you injured?" Shey's worry laced her voice. She couldn't see her father and for once in their lives both Talorn and Da'norn were glad of her blindness.

"Do not worry about me, She'tiana. Care for yourself and Talorn. We will defeat her. The Morrigan will see that we are still loyal only to her." Just then, they heard the sound of a blast. Talorn watched as his father fell dead.

Just then, Mnimi stepped into view. "So shall I crush all who oppose me!" she announced.

"Father!" Shey screamed. She slumped back where, thankfully, Daniel stood. He caught her and pulled her back to a chair where he sat her down. Tears streamed down her face as she went completely limp in the chair.

"Shey. Shey, calm down. Shey, please." Daniel hated to see her like this. He had only seen her as strong, steadying. She was falling apart and he couldn't do anything about it.

Talorn came over to his sister as Siler turned off the monitor. He pulled his sister into his arms to give her all the support he could. It was his way of sharing her grief. It was the only thing he could do.

Daniel could only watch as Talorn offered his twin the comfort that she needed so desparately at that moment. Just then, Sam and Jack walked into the room. Sam left Jack at the doorway and hurried over to Daniel. "What happened?"

"The Go'auld killed their father. Shey collapsed. I wish I could just --"

"Daniel?" Shey's voice got his attention as quickly as if she had touched his shoulder.

He walked over to her. "I'm here, Shey. Right beside you." She turned to him and reached for him. He took her into his embrace. "I will always be here for you. You have a home here."

The look on Talorn's face caught both Jack's and Sam's attention. As they watched, Shey looked up. "Honestly, Daniel?"

"Yes. Honestly."  
  
"Talorn, what is it?" Sam asked.

"He has just spoken the ritual words to propose marriage."

* * *

A/N: Dun dun dun dun dun......... Now what? Stay tuned to find out how Daniel reacts to finding out that he just proposed to Shey.


	12. I hope

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah, right. Anyone who believes that these characters are mine needs more psychiatric help than I do. And that's saying something.

SUMMARY: Daniel has fallen in love with a young woman he met while off world and has inadvertently proposed to her. Jack and Sam have decided that they love each other too much to keep fighting their feelings. and have decided to find a way to be together. Of course, if you think that I'm going to make it easy on either couple, think again. I love conflict and trying to find a way around it.

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity". Anything after that may or may not be referenced in this story.

A/N: Thank you again, Lady Reaper for the review. I hope more people are reading this than are reviewing. I'm starting to feel a bit -- ignored for lack of a better term.

**

* * *

**

**Sam **stood still in shock. _Daniel proposed to Shey? What in the hell is going on?_ "Daniel?" she asked.

Daniel was still holding Shey tenderly, seemingly oblivious to the words Talorn had spoken. Jack was still standing by the door at the foot of the stairs. He shrugged when she looked over to him.

"For cryin' out loud. Daniel, did you hear him?"

"So? I'll marry Shey. If she'll have me."

"Daniel," Shey's voice was sad. "I can not hold you to the proposal when you did not know what you were saying."  
  
"I know what I meant. I meant it. You have a home here. For as long as you want."

"Daniel, please. I can not."

"Shey, he said the words."  
  
"Talorn, he does not know our ways. I can not force him to obey a tradition that he does not know of."

"Shey, believe me. If I hadn't said those particular words, I would have said it in the words of my people. I would have asked you to marry me and be my wife."

With those words, Shey pulled away from him, tears running down her face. She turned from Daniel and started toward the stairs. The only one who realized what she was doing was Jack and he started toward the stairs. However, he wasn't quite fast enough.

Shey's steps led her to the edge of the stairs and then out over nothing. The small cry she made as she fell startled everyone else into motion. She tumbled down the first flight to the landing where Jack stopped her fall.

"Shey!" Daniel was beside her in less than a heartbeat. His heart was in his throat as he knelt down. "Please. Shey."

Sam grabbed the phone and called the infirmary to report what had happened. They sent out a team to bring Shey in immediately.

Daniel didn't move when the medics came in to move Shey. Jack had to physically move Daniel out of the way so the medics could do their job.

Jack didn't let go until after the medics had already gotten a good head start down the hallway toward the infirmary. He knew that Daniel was going to run after them. That was why he waited so long to let him go. He didn't want Daniel interfering with the medics working on Shey.

**

* * *

**

**Daniel** sat beside Shey. She was unconcious in the bed. Had been since the fall. _What have I done? Would this have happened had I not insisted? What if I lose her now? The doctor doesn't think that would happen but --_ Daniel couldn't help but be afraid that he would lose Shey. Especially now.

He had lost Sha're. He had lost Sarah. He had lost so many people over the course of his life. And just look at how many times he had almost lost Jack, Sam and Teal'c. And his own life. It sometimes seemed like his whole life was nothing more than a series of losses. The two worst though had been his parents. He had been so young when that happened. Then losing his wife.

_And what about Janet? I cared so much about her and never once told her. Then one day she was gone. Just like that. Just like everyone else I have cared about._

That thought broke through the silence that filled the infirmary. Daniel put his head in his hands and wept. Great heaving sobs that broke the heart of everyone who heard them.

**

* * *

**

**Jack** and Sam stood at the doorway to the infirmary together. "I hope he doesn't loose her."

"So do I, Sam. So do I."

* * *

A/N: Okay. I'll admit it. I'm a sadistic person. Maybe there'll be more reviews for this chapter. I don't know if I'll continue if I can't start getting a few more reviews.


	13. Vigil

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah right. And you're paying how much for mental help?

SUMMARY: Daniel has fallen in love with and proposed to a young woman he met off world. She wasn't sure how to take the proposal and went to walk away from Daniel. But she's blind and in her emotional turmoil (her father had just been slaughtered by a Go'auld), she forgot that there were steps on the way out of the control room above the Gate room. She fell (Not jumped, Julia ) down the stairs and is now unconcious.

Sam and Jack have decided that they're going to work out a way for the two of them to be together. Of course it isn't going to be easy but they'll get there eventually. For those of you who don't know me, I love conflict and working through it.

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity". Anything beyond that may or may not be referenced in this story.

A/N: Thank you guys for all the reviews. The muse woke up and started me on this chapter. And yes, JRFOX, she was a bit out of character. But you were right about her slipping back into the way was with Jonas. But also, keep reading, Pete'll get his in a future chapter.

**

* * *

**

**Daniel** had not left Shey's side in more than 24 hours. He held her hand and prayed to every god he had ever heard of that she would be ok. That she would wake up soon.

"Daniel, will you please go? I can make it an order if it would make you feel better."

"I can't leave her. It's my fault that she's here."

"No. It's not." Daniel turned.

"Jacob, I didn't know that you were here."

"Daniel, it's not your fault. Sam told me what happened. Shey was under tremendous strain and forgot about the stairs. That's why she's here. It's not your fault."

"That's what everyone keeps telling me. But if I hadn't pushed the proposal the way I did, she wouldn't have felt a need to run from me."

Jacob put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I understand. I felt the same way about Sam's mother. When she died in that car accident, I blamed myself for years. Still do to an extent. But I've also realized that she knew that I was military. She accepted me for me. Even as much as she may have wanted me to change she knew who and what I was."

Jacob knew what Daniel was going through. He had felt the same way when his wife died. That it was his fault that this had happened.

The two of them stood there quietly for a moment just watching Shey.

**

* * *

**

**Jack **was in his office, staring at the computer screen. He had just hung up from talking to General Hammond. Explaining things to George had just brought a chuckle from his commander.

"Jack, as a friend, I saw the feelings between you and Sam a long time ago. I started seeing sparks between you when you first met. The fact that Sam challenged you to arm wrestle her to prove her ability to be on the team told me that she was eager to prove herself to you."

"But when did you suspect ---"

"When I read Sam's report of what happened on Simarka. Your reaction, as well as Daniel's, was well documented. She was not exactly happy with either one of you. But somehow I could picture the outfit you two cajoled her into wearing." George chuckled. "I think I need to present this idea to the President myself. I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"Thank you, George. I'm glad I have a friend like you."

"The same holds for me, Jack. Even though you have given me a fair number of headaches. You've always been a good friend."

After they had hung up, Jack had turned back to his computer. He couldn't believe that it had been that easy. George hadn't even hesitated when he had explained what was going on. In fact, he wanted to come and see how everything else was going and talk to Jacob himself. Especially since his old friend would be on Earth for a few days.

He finished up his letter resigning his commission while offering to remain in charge of the SGC. Then he went to see if Sam was ready to pry Daniel away from Shey's side. Spacemonkey hadn't moved from there since they allowed him to sit down next to her after making sure that she was not in immediate danger.

**

* * *

**

**Jacob **and Daniel were both in the infirmary, the elder Carter had tried to leave the room after talking to Daniel and stubbed his toe on the door frame, breaking it. He was having his toe taped when Jack walked in.

"What happened?"

Daniel turned to Jack, trying not to laugh. "Jacob was talking to me for a moment. When he went to leave, he stubbed his toe into the door frame and ahhhh, well, kind of broke it." Daniel blushed with embarrassment for Jacob.

Jack turned to Jacob, grinning. "Don't even start, Jack."

The younger general put his hand over his mouth, trying unsuccessfully to smother his laughter. Daniel got a firm look on his face. "No giggling, Jack. Isn't that what you always tell Sam?"

"How did you find out about that?"

"What are you two talking about?" Jacob was rather curious about the sudden reddness that had come over Jack's face.

"You remember when we told you about how we found the other Stargate?" At Jacob's nod, Daniel continued. "Well, not long after that we heard all about the incident from Sam. She told us about how hard she was trying to get the other Stargate to work and how frustrated she got when she couldn't make it work. She was so scared that Jack was going to die there and she wouldn't be able to save him. Well, at one point, she lay down right next to Jack trying to conserve body heat. Well, something, Sam was never exactly clear what, was said and she started giggling. Jack started giggling too, but it hurt. After all, he did have a broken rib. He told her that there was to be no giggling. It became a running gag between them. It's really gotten to be running gag amongst all of us."

Jacob chuckled a bit at the thought of how well Sam, Jack, Daniel and Teal'c worked together. Then he sobered as he thought of everything Sam had been through and how often Jack had been there while he wasn't. His little girl needed Jack O'Neill, even as battle scarred as he was both inside and out.

"Anyway, Daniel. I told Sam that I would bring to join us for dinner. We have to get going." He turned to Jacob. "Would you like to join us, Dad?"

Jacob looked down where the medtech had just finished up. "Sure. I wouldn't mind having dinner with my daughter."

The three men left the infirmary and headed down the hall toward Sam's lab where she was running a test of some kind on some 'doo-hickey'.

**

* * *

**

**Jack,** Daniel, and Jacob stood in the doorway to Sam's lab. Jacob had a look on his face that said that he remembered this scene.

Sam had fallen asleep with her head on her arms on the desk in the middle. She had her head turned to one side and her hair had fallen across part of her face. You couldn't see the bruise on her face because it was resting on her arms. She reminded Jack of that game they used to play in elementary school, 7-up.

Jack walked into the room. As much as he hated to wake Sam up when she was sleeping so peacefully, he knew that Daniel wouldn't want to be away from Shey for too long. He bent down close to Sam and gently kissed her cheek. "Sam. Sam, wake up. It's time for dinner." She squirmed a little bit and settled back down.

"Sammie," her dad called softly from the doorway. "Time to wake up."

"Daddy?" Sam asked, starting to wake up. She lifted her head off the desk. Jack moved back just before her head met his. She stood up quickly and her knees wobbled. Jack caught her.

"Not so fast, Sam. Give yourself a moment to wake up."

Steadying herself, Sam stood up. "I fell asleep at my desk again, didn't I?"

Jacob smiled and nodded. "You sure did, sweetie. Just like in school."

"Did someone say dinner?" Just then, Sam's stomach growled. "I guess I am a little hungry." Everyone chuckled and headed out for the commissary.


	14. Waking up

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah. Right. And you're paying how much for your psychotherapist?

SUMMARY: Jack has turned in a letter resigning his commission as a military officer but offering to continue running the SGC as a civilian. Sam and he have decided that they want to be together. Jacob is visiting to make sure that everything goes smoothly. Daniel has fallen in love with a young lady from off world. She is unconcious due to a fall down some stairs.

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity". Anything else that happens in the actual series may or may not be referenced here.

FEEDBACK: Please. I thrive on it and write faster when it's present.

**

* * *

Sam** sat in the commissary next to Jack with Daniel on her other side. Daniel hadn't eaten one bite of the food on his tray. 

"Daniel, you have to feel hungry. You haven't eaten in 24 hours that I know of." Sam was worried. Daniel had large dark circles under his eyes and his hair was lookiing shaggy. _Probably due to him running his hands through it._

"I'm not. I just want to be beside Shey. To apologize for pushing her with the proposal."

"You do realize that, when she wakes up and finds out that you've starved yourself while she was out, she's going to feel guilty about worrying you that way."

"What??" He looked up at Sam.

"You heard me. I didn't stutter."

"That's cold, Sam."

"Cold but true. You love her, right."

"I do. I really do."

"Then, eat. Take care of yourself so that you can help take care of her. Because I don't think that Talorn would be too happy if you claim to love his sister so much and yet put yourself in the infirmary or worse."

Daniel just sat quietly, looking at his plate for a moment. "You're right, Sam. I do need to eat." He proceeded to eat everything on his plate and even went up for some pecan pie.

Just as everyone was finishing up their meals, the page came over the intercom. "Doctor Jackson to the infirmary. Doctor Jackson to the infirmary."

Daniel jumped up, leaving his tray on the table and ran off. The other three followed at a slightly more sedate pace.

**

* * *

Daniel** arrived at the infirmary to find Dr. Brightman waiting for him. 

"She woke up just a few moments ago. Your name was the first word out of her mouth."

Daniel let loose the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. _Good news. She wanted me._ He stepped around behind the curtain that separated Shey's bed from the rest of the infirmary.

"Hey," he said softly. Shey turned her head toward the sound of Daniel's voice.

"Daniel." She sounded so very tired.

"How do you feel?"

"Sore. I would like to go outside though. It would make me feel better."

Daniel turned to the doctor. "Would that be alright?"

"As long as someone stays with her, I don't see why not. Just make sure she takes it slow and easy."

Daniel nodded and turned back to Shey. "I'll just go get Sam to help you dress. Then we'll go outside."

"Yes. It would not be proper for you to see me undressed before our wedding night."

"W-w-wedding?" Daniel was dumbfounded.

"Have you changed your mind about marrying me?"

"No but I thought you didn't want to hold me to a proposal that I made without realizing that I had made it."

"I had time to think while unconcious. I believe that spending the rest of my life with you would be most agreeable."

"That's good. Because that would make Daniel happy. And a happy Spacemonkey is a careful Spacemonkey." Jack's voice came from the other side of the curtain.

"Sam?"

"Yes, Daniel?" She poked her head around.

"Shey needs some help getting dressed. Would you help her? She wants to go outside."

"Okay." She came around. "Hey, Shey. Feeling better after your little nap?"

"Yes actually. It helped to clear my mind."

"I hope so." Sam turned. "Out, Daniel. And I don't just mean the other side of the curtain. Shey and I are going to talk girl talk."

Jack, Daniel and Jacob all winced. "I'll wait in the hallway."

"We'll wait there with him, Sammie," Jacob called out, looking just a bit flustered in Jack's opinion.

Jack wisely kept his mouth shut and just left with the others.

"Shey, I'm going to take this chance to tell you that Daniel has been through a lot. He's lost many people that he cares about. I'm asking that you don't hurt him. He's been hurt enough."

"Samantha, I appreciate your worry for your friend. He is worth the effort. Please do not fear that I will hurt him. While I can not promise to never hurt him, I can promise, and do, that I will never hurt him by choice."

"That I can accept." Shey sat up with help from Sam who then helped her to her feet. The two of them worked together and got Shey's clothes on her. "Shey, I think of Daniel as a brother. I care for him very much. He's very emotional and at times that may be hard for you to deal with."

"I already know this, Samantha. I love Daniel. I know that he has many emotions to deal with. I hope that I can help him with that."

"I think you already have. I think you already have."

**

* * *

Daniel** and Shey stepped out into the sunshine on the surface. She lifted her face toward the sun and smiled to feel the warmth. "This is much better. Thank you, Daniel. For everything."

* * *

A/N: I hope that makes everyone happy. Shey will be fine. But of course I can't make things easy for anyone. That would be boring. 


	15. Memories and Nightmares

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah, right. And you're paying how much for psychiatric help?

SUMMARY: Shey has woken up from her little fall down the stairs. Jack is about to become the civilian head of the SGC. Sam has admitted how she feels about him and Daniel has proposed to Shey, who has finally agreed.

SPOILERS: Up to "Affinity". Anything else may or may not be mentioned here.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I hope you guys like what I have in mind for the future (although I can't tell you more than that, the idea's still kind of fuzzy). On with the show.

**

* * *

Shey** and Daniel sat down at a picnic table just out of sight of the entrance to the mountain. Daniel was not about to take the woman he loved hiking all over the mountain after she had been unconcious for more than 24 hours. 

"Daniel, I know nothing of Earth's traditions regarding weddings and marriage. Will you teach me?"

"On one condition: you teach me your culture's traditions of wedding and marriage."

Shey smiled. "I believe that can be arranged."

"But not today.Let's just enjoy the beautiful day. And the beautiful company."

"I am not beautiful." Shey hung her head.

"Shey, were you born blind?"

"No. I lost my sight when I turned 13 seasons. I went to bed that night able to see and awoke the next morning blind. Everyone in the tribe was saddened."

"I'm sorry. But at least you'll understand the colors I see when I look at you. Your hair is soft and shiny and black as a raven's wing. Your fair complexion belies the fact that you spend so much time outside. And your eyes are the color of a stormy sky in winter."

"You make me sound like one of the Fae."

"The Fae? As in the fairy folk of legends?"

"Yes. But the Fae are anything but legend. At least back on my world. We live hand in hand with them. Several have even married into my family. My mother was pure Fae."

"Tell me more about your family."

"Mother was beautiful. She was graceful and slender with eyes the color of sapphires and hair that flowed down her back like honey. She and my father loved each other very much. Everyone was always jealous of the love that flowed between them. It wasn't uncommon to see them holding hands or kissing outside of their cottage."

"She sounds wonderful. I was only 8 when my parents died. They were both crushed under a stone in a display they were setting up at a museum. I spent the rest of my childhood in a foster family. My own grandfather, the last living relative that I know of, decided not to take me in and raise me."

"Oh, Daniel! I'm sorry." Daniel was touched when he saw the tears in her eyes.

"How is it that we didn't meet your mother?"

"She died the day I lost my sight. She just walked into the forest and disappeared when she discovered that I was blind. She said something about the curse of the daughter. I never quite understood what she was talking about. I was wandering about several days later and stumbled over her body. She had been savaged by animals. When we buried her, I couldn't stop crying. Father was frightened. He was afraid that I would not survive."

"Shey, I don't know what to say." Shey's tears started falling as she remembered the words of sorrow everyone shared with her. And the looks of pity she had felt from so many.

Daniel saw the tears start and immediately moved to sit next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. She turned her face into his neck and sobbed. "She was so beautiful, Daniel. Why did she do it? Why did she walk into the forest when she knew what could happen?"

"I don't know, Shey. I just don't know." He held her close and rocked her gently for several long minutes before she calmed down.

"Take me up to the campsite, Daniel. Please."

"Of course." They started slowly up the mountain to the campsite that Talorn and Shey had claimed as home.

**

* * *

Talorn** walked into the campsite later that evening to find both Daniel and Shey asleep next to the fire. Daniel had Shey gently cradled in his arms. 

Jack and Sam came up behind him. "We were wondering where he was. Should we take him home?"

"If you think it wise, Samantha." Talorn walked to the other side of the fire where he proceeded to start supper for himself and Shey.

Jack knelt beside Daniel. "Hey, Danny. Danny, wake up."

Daniel's eyes flew open. Jack never used a voice that quiet unless there was danger. But, before he could jump up, Jack had a hand on his shoulder, holding him still.

"Careful. We don't want to wake Shey." Daniel turned his head only to have his senses filled with Shey.

Daniel nodded and carefully slid his arm out from under Shey's head. As he stood to go, Shey whimpered in her sleep. She started tossing and turning on the ground. Daniel didn't worry much until she started talking in her sleep.

"No! Don't hit her! Don't! Please! Stop! Samantha! No!" Sam went white and grabbed for Jack's hand. "Why are you doing this? Help! Someone help us! Please!"

As they watched in shock and horror, Shey pulled herself to her knees, feeling along the ground as if to find someone. "Samantha? Samantha? Where are you? What has he done to you?"

Sam couldn't take it anymore. She knelt beside Shey and took a hold of her arms. "Shey. Shey. I'm right here. You're dreaming. Shey, you're dreaming. Wake up. Wake up, Shey."

Shey's eyes fluttered open. "Samantha? Is that you?" Sam just took Shey in her arms and held her.

"I'm fine, Shey. I'm fine. It's okay." Shey was crying and so was Sam. Sam didn't know what Shey had been dreaming of but it had scared her almost as much as it had Shey.

* * *

A/N: MWAAAHAHAHHAHAH! What was Shey dreaming? What's going to happen to Sam? I'm not telling............. Until later that is. 


	16. Fear and It's Cause

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah. Right. And you're taking how many different drugs?

SUMMARY: Shey woke up and accepted Daniel's proposal. She had a nightmare that scared the hell out of Sam. Sam and Jack have decided that they need to be together.

SPOILERS: Up through 'Affinity'. Anything else that happens may or may not be addressed here.

**

* * *

Sam** had been trying to get Shey to talk about the nightmare for three days now to no avail. It was frustrating. Shey wouldn't talk about it but everyone could tell that it had her upset. But everytime Sam brought up the topic Shey would just shake her head and walk away. **

* * *

"Jack,** she won't tell me anything. I just want to know what scared her so badly." 

"And why it scares you so much in return. I know you, Sam. You hate it when there's something that you don't know or understand. And you don't understand how her fear bothers you so much."

Jack pulled Sam into his arms before he continued. "Besides, whatever it is, we'll take care of it. Both of you are safe and I intend to make sure that you stay that way.

"I trust you, Jack. I just wish I knew ..."

"I understand, Sam. Really I do."

At that moment, Jacob walked in. He'd been looking for Jack and Siler had told him that the general was in here. "Sorry, kids. I'm interrupting something."

"It's okay, Dad," Sam said, stepping away from Jack. "Something happened a few nights ago and it kind of shook me up.

"What?" Sam proceeded to tell her father about the incident at the campsite and the way Shey wouldn't talk about it.

Jacob bowed his head. "**Samantha, your father and I both believe that you should remain close to the base for the next several days."**

"I plan to, Selmak. Thank you for your concern."

**"You are very important to your father. As you are to many others."**

"I will be very careful. I promise."

"I know you will, Sammie," Jacob said, regaining control.

**

* * *

Pete** had been watching the base for the past few days. "They can't keep her from me. She's mine. She accepted my ring. She's mine." 

When he realized that Sam had no intentions of leaving the base anytime soon, he knew that he would have to lure her away from the others. _'But how? What would make her leave the base alone? Without that damn Jack with her?"_

It was then that he saw Cassie leaving the base for class.

* * *

A/N: I know. I know. Short but at least it's a chapter. I'll try to get the next one up soon. 


	17. Captured!

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah. Right. And you're paying how much for your shrink?

SUMMARY: Daniel's new girlfriend seems to be displaying a great deal of power. She had a nightmare that scared not only her but also Sam. And we all know that Sam doesn't scare easily. Now, Pete's stalking Sam and watching the base to try to catch her coming out.

SPOILERS: Up through 'Affinity'. Anything else that happens beyond that may or may not be referenced here.

A/N: Thank you, Furlings, Lady Reaper, and Black Leather. I love the fact that you guys reviewed so quickly.

**

* * *

Pete** sat in his living room. How to lure Sam off the base without everyone following her? How to -----? 

He had it. Chili cook-off. Cassie hadn't missed one since he had known her. Why would she change her pattern now? There was a cook-off in town this weekend and he knew that she would be there. That's when he would grab her.

Sam would do anything to protect her precious Cassie. _That little alien bitch! She always meant more to Sam than I did. She was always leaving me to spend time with that little bitch. _

Pete hated Cassie. He hated the fact that Sam had taken the little whelp in after Janet had died. She hadn't even asked him if he minded.

Now, just to make the arrangements for where he would take the girl after he grabbed her.

**

* * *

"But,** Sam, I haven't missed a chili cook-off in years. You know how much I love the cook-offs. And Carroll Shelby himself is going to be there for this one." Cassie was begging. She really wanted to go but Sam was leery. She wasn't sure that she should allow for it. There was no evidence that Cassie was in danger. But still, she had a bad feeling. 

"Cassie, you know why I'm so reluctant to let you go."

"A dream. A dream that made no mention of me at all. But if it makes you feel better. I can take Daniel with me. And maybe Shey and Talorn would like to get a taste of Earth culture."

"Will you promise me that you'll stay with them?" Sam was still really scared. She wasn't sure that she should let this happen but if Cassie would make her this promise---.

"I promise. I swear. Anything. Just let me go. Please." Cassie had that look on her face. The one that Sam could never resist.

"Okay. Just remember, you promised to stay with the others. No running off without them."

"I promise. Thank you, Sam. Thank you. Thank you." She kissed Sam on the cheek. "I'll go tell Daniel, Shey and Talorn."

"Just take it easy with Shey. She's still not --" Too late. Cassie was gone. Out the door and down the hall before Sam could finish her thought. Sam chuckled to herself. "To have half that energy."

The laugh from the doorway drew her attention. "I remember thinking the same thing myself once upon a time." Jacob was standing in the doorway smiling at his daughter.

"She's always going full speed ahead. When she takes off like that, I get the urge to say 'Damn the torpedoes!' Was I really that bad?"

"All kids are at one point or another. She's just excited. It's not everyday that Carroll Shelby shows up at a chili cook-off in Colorado Springs." Jacob walked into the room. "I just wanted to make sure that you're still okay. I mean with everything that's going on around here. George is coming in next week in order to oversee the whole switch to Jack being a civilian. He also said he wants to meet Shey."

"I hope I'm doing the right thing, Dad. I just still don't know what Shey's dream was and it still worries me." Jacob wrapped his arms around his daughter and held her close.

"I know, honey. I know. But you can't let your fears make you lock up your life. If you do that, then whoever or whatever is causing you to be afraid wins. Remember the old saying, 'Courage is not the absence of fear--' "

"It's doing what needs to be done, in spite of fear. It's just not always that easy, Dad."

"It never is. It never is, baby."

**

* * *

"Daniel!** Daniel!" Cassie ran into the campsite just bouncing. "Sam said I could go to the cook-off if you, Shey and Talorn come with me." 

"What is a cook-off?" asked Shey.

"It's where a whole bunch of people make the same thing with their own recipe and a small group of people judge to see who made it the best. There's always lots of tasting for anyone that goes and wants to taste."

"Is this a tradition on Earth?"

"Actually yes. It happens all the time. The one that's taking place this weekend is a chili cook-off and Carroll Shelby will be there." Cassie was fairly bubbling with excitement.

"Who's Carroll Shelby?"

"A famous car designer who now goes around sponsoring and judging chili cook-offs. He's amazing."

"Daniel, may we go with Cassandra? It sounds interesting. And we need to know a little bit about your culture if this is where we are going to live for the rest of our lives."

"When you put it that way, Shey, I can't refuse. Talorn, will you be coming along as well?"

"I believe so, Daniel. I think you may need some assistance watching over both young ladies," he said smiling.

"Talorn, stop picking on me."

"I only tease because I love you, sister. After all, we are the only family each has left."

Sadness crossed Shey's face. "I know. But we will be surrounded by people that care about us here."

Talorn smiled sadly at his sister. "Of course. We have all of our new friends here at the SGC as well as people like Cassandra."

"Cassandra, we will be glad to accompany you to this cook-off," Shey said.

Cassie started bouncing. "I get to go. I get to go." Daniel and Shey laughed. She sounded much like a small child who just got her way.

**

* * *

Pete** was waiting for his chance at the cook-off. He was following Cassie and Shey as they walked along sampling the different chilis. Talorn and Daniel weren't far from them. He had to bide his time. He could snatch both girls and make sure that no one followed him. Then, he would call Sam and tell her that if she wanted to see them alive again, she would come to him alone. 

That's when he would make her see that he was the only one for her. That she had to be with him. She had accepted his ring which made her all his.

There. The girls had continued to walk when the men stopped to check out a chili. He slipped up behind them and grabbed Shey from Cassie.

"Don't scream or else I'll hurt both of you," he hissed into Shey's ear. "Cassandra. You will come with me or else I'll cut this girl's throat." It was then that Shey felt the cold of a metal blade against her throat. Cassie nodded, tears in her eyes. She walked just in front of Shey and Pete, following his instructions for fear of Shey being hurt.

**

* * *

Daniel** looked around. "Talorn, where are Shey and Cassie?" 

Talorn looked around, a sudden trace of fear crossing his face. "I don't see them anywhere. We should split up. You take that side of the cook-off and I will take this side. We should meet back at the entrance. Maybe we should call the general and tell him what has happened."

Daniel already had his cell phone out. "I was just thinking the same thing." He dialed. "Jack, this is Daniel. We're at the chili cook-off. The girls have disappeared." Daniel pulled the phone away from his ear as Jack started yelling.

"Jack, Talorn and I are splitting up to look for them now." He listened carefully for a moment then nodded. "Ok. We'll look for you when we meet up at the entrance." He hung up. "He's bringing in the troops. Sam was standing right there when I called. He wouldn't tell me what her reaction was." He hung his head. "I'm sorry, Talorn. I should have been keeping a closer eye on the two of them."

Talorn's hand came to rest on Daniel's shoulder. "As I should have, my friend. The important thing is that we find the girls quickly, before the general gets here."

"I would definitely agree with that." Daniel was worried. _How did Sam react to hearing that he hadn't done his job and let Cassie and Shey wander off? Why wouldn't Jack tell him? Jack is going to be so mad._

**

* * *

Mad** was not exactly the word to describe Brigadier General Jack O'Neill's emotions at that moment in time. Jack felt helpless and scared and worried and furious. He was in an emotional turmoil that had him confused and he didn't like to be confused. It made him cranky. He was on his way to the chili cook-off with about 100 SPs. They planned on finding those two girls and then, Cassie would be confined to base until further notice. Of course she had to go to classes but she would have to take a couple of SPs with her. That way she didn't get lost on her way back to the base. 

Sam had broke down in tears the minute she heard. She had sat there in the chair in Jack's office with her head buried in her hands, sobbing. Blaming herself. She kept saying that she should never have given in to Cassie's pleas. It wouldn't have hurt her to miss this one cook-off. And to top it off, Shey was also missing. Sam felt so guilty that he had promised her that he would go himself. That was when he called Jacob to his office and briefed him on what was going on. Jacob then agreed to stay with Sam until Jack got back.

Jack looked up as the vehicle he was in pulled to a stop. They were there. He issued the orders to search the ground as well as setting up a perimeter so that no one could slip out undetected. The crowd was amazed to see SPs swarming over the fairgrounds where the cook-off was being held. Everyone who left was questioned regarding the two girls. No one had seen either one.

**

* * *

Sam's** cell phone rang. She pulled it out and answered it. "Carter here." 

"Hello, Sam sweetheart." Sam's blood ran cold. She knew that voice.

* * *

A/N: What is Pete up to? What's going to happen to Shey and Cassie? Stay tuned to find out. 


	18. Surrender?

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah. Right. And which drugs are you on?

SUMMARY: Pete has gone psycho since no one would let him near or even talk to Sam. They know that he hit her. He has both Cassie and Shey as captives. He thinks that he can get Sam alone if he tells her that they'll stay safe as long as she does exactly as he says. Jack is looking for the girls and Daniel and Talorn are both suffering with a guilty conscience.

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity". Anything else may or may not be addressed in here.

A/N: Thank you all for making me feel so great about the chapters. I love reviews.

**

* * *

Cassie** sat in a chair next to Shey. They were both blindfolded and tied into the chairs. Cassie was scared. She found herself wishing she hadn't begged so hard to go. 

"Shey, are you okay?"

It took Shey a moment to answer but answer she did. "I am not injured. And you, Cassandra?"

"A little upset. Not hurt though."

"Shut up. Both of you." Pete was furious. He had been trying to get through to the base for hours to talk to Sam but they kept disconnecting him and wouldn't even put him through.

'_Cassandra, why are you upset?'_ Shey used a talent she had detected in Cassie.

_'I got us into this mess.'_

_'Cassandra, please don't blame yourself. This man is the one to blame for our predicament. Only him.'_

_' I didn't know you were a telepath.'_ Cassie changed the subject because she was uncomfortable with talking about Pete.

_'It doesn't work with everyone and it takes a lot of effort to concentrate enough to do it. Maybe if I concentrate hard enough, I can make it work to Samantha.'_

_'Sam used to date this guy. She was even going to marry him at one point. He's the reason we had to bring Sam into the infirmary unconcious that night.'_

_'This man deserves pain. I believe that, when the General fiinds us, he will get what he has so plainly asked for.'_

_'I hope so. I really hope so.'_

Suddenly, their attention was diverted as Pete spoke into his cell phone. "Hello, Sam sweetheart."

**

* * *

Sam** felt her father's eyes on her. "Just a moment." She turned to Jacob. "Dad, can I have a moment alone?" 

"Sure, honey. But I won't be far away."

She nodded and waited until her father had left before putting the phone back to her ear. "Alright, you sorry son of a bitch! Where are the girls?"

"Do you mean Cassandra and that adorable little blind girl with her?"

"Don't you touch either one of them!"

"Don't worry, Sammie. They're safe for now. If you want them to stay that way, you'll do exactly as I tell you."

"You do know that you're a selfish bastard, don't you, Pete?" Sam was on the verge of crying. Pete could hear it in her voice and knew that he would do whatever he said in order to keep the girls safe.

"All I want is a chance to talk. Just you and I. You need to get away from the base by yourself. Meet me in the parking lot at O'Malleys in two hours. Be alone. Unless you want the girls to suffer."

"I'll be there. But if you hurt one hair on either girls' head, I'll kill you slowly. I swear it." He hung up and she put her head in her hands. _'I won't have to kill him. Jack will. Then, he's going to kill me for going to him.'_

**

* * *

Jack** stood at the entrance to the fairgrounds, listening to the radio chatter and watching for Talorn and Daniel. 

At first, people hadn't wanted to cooperate but, as word got around that two young women had been kidnapped by an escapee from the local looney bin, they started to work with the soldiers.

Jack had heard that Pete had been seen, even with the girls. And that he had left just before Jack and the soldiers arrived.

The girls hadn't seemed too happy to be in his company but they had gone with him. Jack called the police and asked for an APB to be put out on Pete's car, telling them only that two young women had been kidnapped and had been seen getting into that car. Of course, the police were also told that, instead of stopping the guy driving themselves that they should let the military handle it. They agreed.

Suddenly, Jack had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He pulled out his cell phone and, with the feeling that his stomach was falling faster than one of those free-fall rides, dialed his office.

**

* * *

Jacob** had just walked back into Jack's office when the phone rang. "General O'Neill's office." 

"Jacob, can I talk to Sam?"

"She's in her quarters. I walked her down there myself. She said all the stress had given her a headache and she just wanted to lay down for a couple of hours."

"And you're sure she's still there?"

"Jack, I walked her down there myself. I just got back as the phone rang."

"Okay, Jacob. Sorry. Just had this sudden sick feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"I know those feelings. Had more than a few because of Sam myself. Any progress?"

"Little. They were here. Apparently, they left before we showed up."

"Damn."

"My thoughts exactly."

**

* * *

Little** did either man know that, at that very moment, Sam was making her way up to the surface and out of the mountain. She hated to go behind everyone's back. She just knew that everyone, especially Jack, would try to stop her. 

She was the only one who could save the girls and she knew it. _But what if he doesn't let them go? What then?_ She shook her head. She couldn't think like that. It would only get her killed.

**

* * *

Daniel** and Talorn were walking toward Jack. The first thought that went through Daniel's mind at the look on his friend's face was, _Damn! He doesn't look happy. No sign of the girls._ and Talorn were walking toward Jack. The first thought that went through Daniel's mind at the look on his friend's face was, 

"No luck, Jack. Sorry. If I'd kept a closer eye on them, ..."

"Don't, Danny. The blame for this whole mess rests squarely on one man's shoulders. Pete." Jack shook his head. "I'm only going to say this once and then I won't hear anything more about blame from you. No one blames you for this. Not one person in the world. It's not your fault."

"Where's Sam?"

"Trying to get rid of a headache. Jacob walked her to her quarters just about thirty minutes ago."

"You're sure? You know how she is about Cassie ever since Janet died."

"Yeah. But Pete can't even get through on the phone lines. They have orders not to put him through." Suddenly, a thought occured to Jack. "Her cell phone. DOH!! Why didn't I think of thatI?" Suddenly, Jack's phone rang. "O'Neill."

"Jack, it's Jacob. Sam's gone. I just went to check on her and she's gone. She left a note that simply says, 'I'm sorry. I have to.' I've got people searching the base for her."

"She's gone? Damn!" Just then, he heard voices on the other end talking to Jacob. "What's going on?"

"One of the SP's said she signed out about fifteen minutes ago." Jacob paused and sighed. "Jack, find her. Please. Don't let that bastard hurt my little girl again."

"I won't, Jacob. I won't." He hung and promptly made another phone call. Within in seconds, he had a tracer put on Sam's phone number. Then, he dialed that very number, hoping that she had at least taken her phone with her.

"Carter."

"Sam, what in the hell are you doing? I thought I told you to stay put."

"You did. But, Jack, you and I both know that I have to do this. We both know that I'm the one Pete wants. He'll let the girls go when he has me."

"What if he doesn't? Sam, you aren't thinking clearly. Go back to the base. Please. Let me handle this."

"I can't, Jack. I have to finish this once and for all. After all, this is my fight. It's not something either you or my father can do for me."

"Sam, at least tell me where you're going. Let me follow at a distance to back you up. Let me help you. Even if you don't think you need it."

"I'm sorry, Jack. If he even thinks that someone's following me, there's no telling what he might do to the girls. I can't ..."

"Sam, if you won't tell me where you're going, I'll figure it out. You know I will. It will just take me longer to get there."

"I love you, Jack. Goodbye." She hung up. Jack's heart fell into his boots when she said goodbye.

"She doesn't think she's coming back from this one. She said goodbye." He almost couldn't talk around the lump of fear that had lodged in his throat.

He called the people who had the trace on the phone. A few moments later, Daniel, Jack and Talorn were on their way to O'Malley's.

**

* * *

"I see** you left your guard dogs behind." 

"Where are the girls, Pete?" Sam asked, wanting to get them away from this sick bastard as quickly as possible.

"Get in the car. We'll go see them." As he walked back toward his car, he glanced over his shoulder. "And leave your cell phone here. You won't need it where we're going."

She sighed and tossed her phone into the seat of her car before locking it. Then, shoulders slumped in defeat with a vow in her heart to kill Pete as soon as possible, she walked over to Pete's car and got in the passenger seat.

**

* * *

Jack** pulled up next to Sam's car. Jumping out, he looked in the window only to see Sam's cell phone laying in the driver's seat. 

"Damn!" He slapped both hands down on the roof of Sam's car. "Where are you, Sam?"

* * *

A/N: There you go folks. Had to wait until FF was ready for posting again but it's ready. 


	19. Sam's Fight

**DISCLAIMER:** Mine? Yeah. Right. And you're spending how much on your shrink?

**SUMMARY:** Shey and Cassie are being held by Pete, who wants to get Sam alone. Jack knows that she's trying to save the girls and isn't happy about it.

**SPOILERS:** Up through "Affinity". Anything else that happens may or may not be addressed here.

**

* * *

When** Pete opened the door to room 215 at the trashy little motel on the outskirts of town, Sam breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the two young women merely blindfolded and tied to chairs. 

"Cassie. Shey. Are you alright?"

"Sam? Sam, is that you?" Cassie's voice sounded hopeful as she pulled against her bonds.

"Don't even try to break free," Pete warned, grabbing Sam's arm before she could rush to the girls.

"Let them go. You have me."

"That's not the way this works. They're going to stay right here while you and I step into the next room to talk."

"Pete, you have to let them go."

Both Cassie and Shey gasped as they heard Pete's hand cross Sam's face. "Sam!" Cassie screamed. Shey didn't say a word. She just started to cry. It was her nightmare all over again. But this time it was real.

**

* * *

"Jack,** think about it. Why would she leave her phone behind?" 

"I don't know, Daniel. She kept saying that she had to take care of this. She was afraid that, if Pete thought she was being followed, he'd hurt the girls."

"Ok. Do you remember Simarka?" The look Jack turned on him told Daniel the name didn't strike a chord. "The blue dress? 'Find me an anthropologist that dresses like this and I'll eat this headdress'?" Recognition flashed across Jack's face. "She handled that battle. And she couldn't have lasted this long without her skills improving."

Jack nodded. "That doesn't mean I don't worry about her."

"I know. Trust me. I know." He held Jack's gaze for a moment. "Besides, we'll find her. We've got the entire city looking for this sick, twisted bastard. How can he hide from a whole city?"

"By leaving it." With that, Jack turned away. But it was too late. Daniel had already seen the tears glistening in his friend's eyes.

**

* * *

Cassie** and Shey were left in room 215 as Sam was forcefully escorted into the next room. Cassie was quietly crying. "He's going to hurt her. We have to stop him." 

Shey was meanwhile praying to the Morrigan._'Morrigan, if ever you favored my people, I beg of you to grant me my sight. To save my friends I beg of you to set this wrong deed right.'_

"Shey, what are you doing?"

"Praying. Praying for the Morrigan to restore my sight even if only for a short while. With my sight for a little while, I could get us out of here."

"Really? Do you think so?"

"I know so. When we are young, we are trained to escape from ties. It's easier with my sight but I might be able to do it without it."

Shey started pulling and twisting at her wrists. As she felt the ropes begin to loosen around her wrists, she spoke. "This may take a while, Cassandra."

**

* * *

Sam** lay on the floor where Pete had knocked her the minute he had closed the door behind her. Pete didn't back off one little bit but continued to press the fight. 

Something in Sam snapped. She was tired of this. Tired of being a punching bag. She crawled to her feet with a righteous fury burning in her eyes. She started attacking Pete, driving him back against the wall.

Daniel hadn't known just how right he was when he said that her hand-to-hand combat skills had to have improved over the years. Pete was taken by surprise by her attack. He fought back though. Fought until, in sheer desparation, he could grab her by the shoulders and shove her hard away from him. She fell across the bed and down behind it. As she went to stand back up, Pete pulled his gun and fired the minute he had a clear shot.

When Sam fell, Pete was struck by a sudden realization of what he had just done. He fell to his knees, his eyes wide with shock. "Oh my God! What have I done?"

**

* * *

Two** officers had seen Pete's car at the hotel and called Jack. The three men showed up at the hotel not five minutes later. 

Pete walked out of room 213 with a look of shock on his face. His gun hung limp from his hand.

Jack ran up to him and grabbed his shoulders. "Where's Sam?" Pete didn't say anything. "Where is she, you bastard?" Jack's voice was starting to raise.

Suddenly, Daniel heard two female voices screaming for Sam. He and Talorn burst into their room. Daniel stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the two girls tied and blindfolded in their chairs.

Talorn untied Shey first. As he was untying Cassie, Shey lifted her hands to remove her blindfold. Daniel was shocked as she blinked her eyes repeatedly as if the light hurt them.

Without giving him even one moment to react, Shey walked up to Daniel and looked him square in the eyes. She said nothing, simply reached up her hand and stroked his cheek.

Tears filled Daniel's eyes as he realized that Shey could see him. As the tears rolled down his face, Shey wiped them away with the pad of her thumb. "Do not cry, my love."

"You see me. How?"

Shey hadn't even had a chance to answer when Jack's voice was raised in an agonized scream. Everyone ran for the door.

**

* * *

Jack** had finally had enough of trying to get Pete to answer him. He just walked into the room Pete had left. 

The bloody streak down the wall didn't even register in Jack's mind. The only thing he saw was Sam's blonde hair peeking out from behind the bed. He didn't even recognize the anguished scream ringing in his ears as being his own.

At least not until he heard Shey's soft cry. He looked up from where he knelt beside Sam's still form to see Shey staring at the bloody spot on the wall, her eyes filled with shock and horro before slumping, unconcious, into Daniel's arms.

* * *

A/N: Will Pete survive this? Will Sam be okay? Give me a few ideas. I might just use them. 


	20. Patience

DISCLAIMER: If you think these characters are mine, I have a bridge of solid gold I'd like to sell you.

SUMMARY: Sam's been shot. Shey's got her vision back and Pete's disappeared. That's about it for now.

SPOILERS: Up through Season 8 "Affinity". Anything else may or may not be addressed here.

A/N: Sorry that this chapter comes so close on the heels of the other one but hey, I had to do something while FF was down.

**

* * *

Daniel** and Jack sat in the commissary. Dr. Brightman had chased them out about three hours earlier and told them to stay away. He had grown tired of trying to work around the two of them. 

The two men had tried playing games on Jack's GameBoy. Daniel had quickly lost interest. Jack couldn't concentrate. There had been no word on the two women since they had left.

"I swear I'm going to kill that bastard. I'm going to smear his face in the mud."

"I wish one of us would have thought to knock him out and tie him up before we saw to Sam and Shey." Daniel wanted to see Pete get his comeuppance. He _wanted _Jack to beat the ever living hell out of the officer that Sam had once cared for.

They both looked up as Teal'c stepped up to the table. "Why did you not call me for assistance, O'Neill?"

"You've spent most of the past eight years away from your family. I didn't want you --- Never mind. I never was very good at lying. I didn't think about anything but keeping Sam safe. I didn't even consider it."

"I understand, O'Neill. I will go see Colonel Carter now." With that, the former Jaffa warrior left the commissary and headed for the infirmary.

**

* * *

Dr. Brightman** looked up as Teal'c walked into the infirmary. _'At least it's not the general or Dr. Jackson._' "Hello, Teal'c. I assume that you've come to see Colonel Carter." The doctor gestured to the bed where Sam lay still unconcious. 

Teal'c stepped to his friend's side, then looked across Sam's bed to where Shey lay awake and looking right at him. "Good evening, She'tiana. How are you feeling?"

"Much better, Teal'c. It is nice to have an image to go with your voice."

Teal'c merely nodded his head. "Dr., will Colonel Carter awake soon?"

"It's impossible to tell, Teal'c. All of her vitals are normal. Everything I see tells me that there is no reason for her to still be unconcious. I'm hoping that she wakes up soon. I don't know how much longer I can keep General O'Neill and Daniel Jackson out of here."

"Jack?" The harsh whisper came from Sam as she tried to sit up. Teal'c immediately moved to help his friend in order to prevent her from hurting herself.

"We will bring him here, Colonel. Just sit still and let the doctor check you out first. We will defer to his decision." The doctor stepped over to the bed and started checking over Sam. She shied away from his touch as if she wasn't sure of who was touching her.

"Colonel, stay still. I won't call for the general until I've made sure that you're alright."

"I hear your voice. I can't tell where you are."

"Samantha, you can not see?" Shey's voice came to Sam's ears.

"No, Shey. I can't. Where are you?"

"On the bed to your right. I will help you. I can see."

"How?"

"I begged of the Morrigan and she restored my sight. I do not know for how long so I intend to see as much as possible before it is gone again."

"Interesting. Doc, are you finished? Can we call Jack now?" She had felt him move away from her.

"I'm finished. I'll call him. But I'm going to talk to him before I let him in to see you. If you want to argue the point," he continued, seeing that she was just about to argue with him. "just remember that it's my decision as to when you are fit for duty." With that he went into his office to page Jack and Daniel to come down to the infirmary.

**

* * *

Jack** stood outside the infirmary with Daniel. Doctor Brightman had said he wanted to brief both men on the colonel's condition before letting them in so they wouldn't be surprised. 

"I want this understood. If I think that this is having any ill effect on Colonel Carter's health, I will terminate the visit and send everyone who is not a patient out of the infirmary. Understood?"

"Yea. Sure. You betcha. What's with the sudden concern over Sam?"

"General, Colonel Carter is blind. I don't know why or how long it's going to last. I would guess it's because of the blow to the head. What I do know is that Samantha is not taking this very well right now."

"Of course not," came Jacob's voice from behind them. Jack wasn't surprised. They had been back for a while and he hadn't seen Sam yet. Of course he would come down here to see what was going on. "Sam never has liked to depend on anyone else for anything. She's always been too damn independent for her own good."

Suddenly, a voice came from inside the infirmary. "Colonel Carter, please get back in bed."

"I hate this! I want Jack! I want ---!" They all heard her voice break as the tears started. The next sentence reminded them all of a small child who had just been denied something. "I want my daddy! I want my sight!"

Jack couldn't handle the sound of Sam in tears. But before he could react, Jacob had pushed his way into the infirmary and did the only thing he could think of to make her calm down and think rationally. "Samantha Jean Carter, back to bed!"

Sam stood stock still where she was. She snapped to attention with a salute, not even thinking about how helpless she felt at that time. "Yes, sir!" She put her hands behind her and felt for the bed, knocking over a tray in the process. Jack went to move past Jacob to help her but he didn't get there. Jacob grabbed his arm.

"She has to do this on her own first. Then, she'll learn to accept help." Jack was forced to watch helplessly as Sam found the bed and sat back down. She seemed defeated. "That's better, Sammie."

"Why did you do that?" Jack asked him, trying not to notice how Sam reacted to the fact that he had been standing there watching her.

"We had to break through the emotional crisis she was having at the moment. We had to bring out the resilient Sam Carter that puzzles her way through everything. She needed to bring herself back under control. The best way to do that was to remind her of her military discipline. Selmak's idea really. I was thinking more like the overprotective daddy. I wanted to help her. But Selmak reminded me that there won't always be someone there to take care of her. She has to do things for herself, even if it means that she might get hurt."

"Thank you, Jacob. At least she's not crying anymore." Jack turned to Sam. "Sam, are you okay?"

"I will be, Jack. My dad's right. I can't always depend on others to fix things for me. I haven't so far and I won't start now. I have to learn to deal with this." She bowed her head. "Just be patient with me? I might still have a few outbursts when I need to be reminded of who I am."

"Always, Sam. I always have patience for you. And I always will." Little did Jack know how far that patience could be tested.

* * *

A/N: There you go folks. Hope you enjoy. 


	21. Lost in the SGC

DISCLAIMER: I really need to get a life. These characters aren't mine and I'm definitely making absolutely no money off of this. Of course, I wouldn't mind a job making money with characters this easy to write for. Hint, Hint Mr. Deluise.

SUMMARY: Sam's blind. Shey can see. No one really knows how to handle this.

SPOILERS: Up through Season 8 "Affinity". Anything else that may happen this season may or may not be referenced here.

**JACK, **Sam, Shey and Daniel sat in the commissary, eating lunch. Sam was still trying to get used to being blind. Shey was trying to help her. She had already told her many times to count the number of steps she took between places and then to remember that number when thinking about going between those two points. It would take practice and she would probably never remember everything she needed to. Shey had gotten used to getting around in her village because she never left the village except for her little glade and she had been blind for 15 years.

"Sam, you'll be fine. We'll all help you. Once you get used to this, --" Daniel never finished the sentence.

"She won't have to get used to it. Her sight will return. And then we'll all be back to normal."

Jack was being optimistic about the whole thing. He wanted Sam's sight back. The first few hours after she had woke up blind had left it's mark in her eyes. The blue didn't sparkle the way it had before. She almost looked beaten. Lost. As if she expected everyone to just abandon her since she was crippled. She hated to use that word. _'But that's what you are now. Crippled. You are the one that gets all the looks of pity. You're the one they all try to coddle.' _

Another part of her argued back to look at this as a learning experience. She had often wondered as a child what it would be like to be blind and now she could answer all the questions she had wanted to ask blind people so often. Of course, her father would have been quite angry had she actually asked someone all the questions she wanted to. But now she could ask those same questions of herself and not worry about anyone's disappointment in her.

"Jack, you don't have to defend me. Not from Daniel anyway. I think I'm just going to look at this as an experiment of sorts. Now I have the chance to answer all those questions I always had for blind people and I get to understand them much better." She turned her head in another direction. "Dad? Is that you?"

"How could you tell, Sammie?" Jacob was rather pleased at what he had just heard her say.

"The rhythm of your steps. That's how I always knew to pretend I was sleeping as a child when you came to my room. When you were gone again, I'd sit back up and keep reading. Mom was always a little harder to judge because she had such a soft step. I could never tell just how close she was to the door."

"That's it, Samantha. Your memories are one place to look to find clues as to how to get around." Shey was enthusiastic. Someone who looked at blindness the wrong way would be impossible to work with. Impossible to teach. Samantha was going to be okay. She would make it through this. Although Shey had a feeling that the day that Sam regained her sight, Shey herself would be left blind yet again.

"So how are you doing at figuring out how to get around?" Jacob asked as he joined the team at the table.

"Shey has me able to get from my bed to any point in my quarters. It's just when I get outside the door that I start getting lost. It's a little overwhelming." She seemed a little tired. "I just wish that this were easier."

"Sam, it'll get easier. I promise." Jack took her hand. Just then, his pager went off. He looked at it. "Shit! I forgot. General Hammond is coming in today. I have to go up to the surface to meet him. I'll be right back, Sam."

"I'll stay with her," Talorn said. "I'm used to leading Shey around. I can help Samantha until you return."

"Talorn, thank you. I'll try to get back quickly."

Sam just sat there hearing them talk. She felt as if she were a burden. She got up and worked her way out of the commissary before anyone realized she was gone.

**"WHERE'S **Colonel Carter?" General Hammond asked as he walked in to the commissary.

"We have been looking for her for about ten minutes." Talorn was not happy. He had failed General O'Neill again in letting Samantha wander off.

"I saw the look on her face when Talorn offered to help her get around until you returned. She looked sad. She almost looked ...."

"... as if she felt like a burden. She was upset. I didn't think she'd go very far." Daniel was flustered. He had never seen Sam like that.

"We need to find her." He turned to George. "George, there's something I didn't tell you about what happened to Sam. She's blind. She hit her head and when she came to, she was blind."

"Let's go find her. I'll help. Get the SFs searching the upper levels and let NORAD know to watch for her."

"Consider it done, George." Jack picked up the phone and made the call.

**SAM **didn't know where she was. She hadn't paid much attention when Jack had led her to the commissary for lunch. She knew that they had gone up in the elevator. She knew that her quarters were five levels below the commissary but she couldn't be sure if she pushed the right button when she got in the elevator.

She opened a door. _Why did I leave the commissary? I was safe there. I knew everyone around me._ She found herself feeling around the room. _My lab. I made it to my lab. I'm safe here._ She closed the door and felt her way over to a corner.

Curling up on the floor, Sam quickly found herself crying. "Jack. Come find me."

**JACK **wasn't sure where to look for Sam. He had started with her quarters and was walking down the hall toward her office when he bumped into Daniel and Jacob. "Did everyone suddenly have the same thought?"

"You mean the one that says that Sam could find her way to her lab if she was deaf, dumb, blind and missing both legs?" Daniel sounded off.

"That would be the one." They slowly opened the door of the lab. "Sam?"

Jack heard it first. The soft crying that came from the corner of the room farthest from the door. He turned toward the sound and moved softly, slowly, not wanting to frighten Sam. The sight that greeted his eyes made him want to kill Pete all over again.

Sam was sitting up against the wall with her knees up against her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She was staring sightlessly into the room as if she saw something that terrified her.

"Sam, what's wrong? Talk to me."

"He was here. He was here." She wasn't making any sense. Who had been here?

"Who? Who was here?"

"Pete. He was here and he told me that no matter what I did, he'd still get me." The tears weren't falling anymore but the fear was still in her voice. There was no way around that. The fear they heard made Jacob and Daniel want to see Pete's beaten bloody body in front of them right that minute.

Jack sat down next to Sam and pulled her onto his lap. "Sam, do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then trust this. He can't get you here. You're safe on base. He has been banned. Not one person will let him in. I promise you that."

"I trust you, Jack." Sam buried her head in Jack's shoulder and just clung to him for a little bit. Jack just sat there cradling her close to him as she fell asleep.

**JACK **settled Sam into her bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She snuggled under the blankets and put her hand under her head before settling into a sound sleep once again.

He pushed the hair back from her face and kissed her cheek. "Sleep well," he whispered before leaving the room.

**SAM **woke up. Just woke up. She felt her way to the sink in order to wash her face. She hoped the tears she had cried earlier didn't show in her eyes anymore.

_Jack found me. He brought me back to my quarters. I'm always safe when he's here. I just hope he didn't get mad at the others because I slipped away from them._

Jack wouldn't have gotten too mad. His first thought would have been to find her. To make sure that she was safe and not hurt. Maybe he left someone nearby in order to help her if she wanted to go somewhere.

She opened the door. If she had been able to see, she would have laughed to see Jack asleep sitting on the floor with his legs stretched out in front of her door while his head was resting on the chair to the immediate right of said door. She started walking through the door.

Only to trip over Jack's legs and fall right on top of him, waking him up. He caught her up and sat her beside him. "Are you okay?"

"Just tripped. Not sure over what. But just tripped."

"You tripped over my feet." She swore she could almost hear the blush run over Jack's face as he admitted that it was his feet that caused her to trip and fall.

He dragged himself to his feet and then pulled her up. Stepping back to look her over, he asked her, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, Jack." She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into his embrace. "I'm fine now."

Jack just relaxed as he held this wonderous human being. He knew that he was so much older than she was but she didn't care. She wanted him. She felt safe with him. Even knowing some of the things he had done in his past, she felt safe with him.


	22. Pete Strikes Again

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Still not mine. I keep wishing though. Maybe someday.

SUMMARY: Sam is blind. Shey can see. Jack is becoming a civilian.

FEEDBACK: Please. Please. PLEASE!!!

**

* * *

After** four days. Jack was officially a civilian. So now he was not only overprotective, he was constantly around. 

And when Jack wasn't there, Daniel, Talorn or Teal'c was right there. All the hovering was starting to get on Sam's nerves.

_For crying out loud, the only time I get any privacy is when I'm in the bathroom. _

So she thanked some divine power when Jack was called out of town to recieve some award or medal from the President. Daniel was dragged off-world by another team and that left her with Teal'c, who at least didn't hover quite as much as Jack or Daniel did.

**

* * *

"Cassie,** will you take me to my house? I need to check on my plants and mail." 

Cassie was a bit hesitant. "I don't know."

"Jack didn't say I couldn't leave the base, did he?"

"No. But ---"

"But what? Come on, Cassie. Just for an hour or two. I really need to get out of here for a while. PLEASE!" She knew Cassie would cave. After all, Sam had been filling the young woman's ears with complaints for days. "Come on, Cassie. All you have to do is drop me off and pick me up an hour or two later."

"You swear you'll stay inside the whole time?"

"Door locked and everything. I swear. Please, Cass?"

Cassie knew that she just had to give in. She had seen how the guys had been lately around her. The young woman was amazed at Sam's patience. Cassie would have bitten someone's head off by now. She knew that it was starting to get to Sam. She'd heard four sighs of relief come from her friend in the past forty-eight hours. One each when Jack, Daniel, General Hammond, and her father left.

"I'll do it. But I'm going to talk to Teal'c about it first. And if I get in trouble---"

"I'll take the fall. I swear." Sam was grinning, her eyes bright like they were before all of this.

_'Before Pete. Admit it. After she met Pete, the only time she smiled was around Jack, when she talked about him or thought about him.'_

"I'll pick you up tomorrow about 9 am."

"I'll be ready."

**

* * *

Sam** was awake and ready to go by 0800. She had forced herself to sleep a little later than usual. She was sitting in the commissary when Cassie arrived. "Ready to go, Sam?" 

"More than. Let's go." Sam picked up her purse and put her hand on Cassie's shoulder.

"Here we go." Cassie led her friend up to the surface and out to the car.

**

* * *

Cassie** had only been gone for fifteen minutes when Sam heard a knock on the front door. 

Sam made her way to the front door as the knocking continued. Her patience finally snapped. "I'm coming. Gimme a break will ya?"

When she opened the door, she gazed out the door. "Who's there? Is anyone there?"

No one answered and, thinking that no one was there, Sam went to shut the door. Suddenly, it was flung back in her face, knocking her backwards. She heard the door slam shut just before a fist crashed into the side of her head, knocking her unconcious.

**

* * *

Pete** had seen Cassie drop Sam off and drive away after watching Sam make her way to and unlock the door before going in. _'At least I didn't kill her. She's just blind. This ought to make things easier for me. I know how to keep her from being with that general of hers. By the time I get done with her, no one else will want her._ had seen Cassie drop Sam off and drive away after watching Sam make her way to and unlock the door before going in. 

He knocked just 15 minutes after Cassie pulled away. When she opened the door, he simply stepped back and stayed quiet until she was ready to shut the door again. At that moment, he flung himself into the door, knocking her back.

Slamming the door shut behind him, he hit Sam in the head before turning to lock the door and then dragging her into her bedroom. He stripped her down and tied her wrists to the bed.

Pete stepped back to admire his handiwork as he stripped off his clothes. Then he stepped up to the bed, laying himself across Sam's body.

**

* * *

Pete** was dressed again. He untied Sam's hands. But before he left, he slid the engagement ring on her left ring finger and smashed the finger just above the ring. He remembered how furious he had been when he had found it laying on the kitchen counter just a few days ealier. 

"Goodbye, you little slut," he hissed just before he left the room. "Let's see just how much your precious general wants you now."

**

* * *

Sam** was freezing cold when she woke up. She looked down on herself and, the fact that she could actually see again eluding her for the moment, realized that she had been raped and beaten in her own home on her own bed. 

The pain in her left hand was the next thing to get her attention. The minute she looked at her left hand, she knew. _'Pete. Pete did this to me.'_ Then she saw the bruises on her hips and on her arms. _'I can't let Jack see this. He'd kill Pete. I can't have him go to jail now. Not when I just got him.'_

She slowly got off the bed and stumbled down to the bathroom. She turned on the water, almost straight hot and stepped under the spray.

She just stood there for a few moments before the tears started. She slid down the wall of the shower and sat on the bottom of the tub with her head in her hands.

**

* * *

Cassie** felt bad. She had lost track of time. She had left Sam alone for almost four hours now. _'I hope Sam's not mad at me.'_ felt bad. She had lost track of time. She had left Sam alone for almost four hours now. 

She pulled into the driveway and ran up to the door. "Sam? Sam, it's me." She opened the door, surprised to see it unlocked. "Sam?" Still no answer.

Now Cassie was getting worried. She walked down the hall and stopped when she heard the shower running. She could hear an occasional sniffle coming from inside the room. "Sam? Sam, I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me. Please answer me. Please." The water turned off.

The bathroom door opened a moment later and Sam stepped out. "I'm not mad at you, Cassie."

"Oh God! Sam, what happened to your hand?"

"Pete did. He was here and...."

Cassie picked up on the train of thought Sam was on. She noticed the blank look in her eyes and then the broken finger and the rope burns on her wrists. "Let's go back to the base and get that finger taken care of."

Sam nodded. Cassie led Sam out to the car and drove back to the base.


	23. Telling Jack and Jacob

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah right. And how much a week is your drug habit?

SUMMARY: Jack is a civilian. Sam has regained her sight. Pete raped her when Cassie left her alone at her house for a while. Cassie came back and Sam is back on base.

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity" Anything else that happens this season may or may not be addressed here. (Probably not)

FEEDBACK: Shameless begging here. I love feedback. It's like a drug that I'm seriously addicted to.

**

* * *

Once** Sam was safely and quietly ensconced in the infirmary, Cassie paged for Shey. When she arrived, Cassie explained what happened. "Would you stay with her, Shey? I don't want her left alone with any men." 

Talorn took the hint and stepped out into the hallway to stand guard.

"Should you not call the police?"

"I should. But I'm going to call Jack first. They'd better hope that they find him before Jack does."

Shey went inside and Cassie left. Teal'c came up to the door. "Talorn, why are you here?"

"It appears that Samantha was injured by Pete Shanahan. He apparently broke one finger and assaulted her sexually. Cassandra didn't want her left alone with any men while she went to call the police and O'Neill."

"I will contact Colonel Carter's father. Hopefully, he can come and help us with this."

**

* * *

In the** control room, Sgt Siler was dialing the Tok'ra homeworld. As the first chevron engaged, Walter Siler turned to Teal'c. "Is Colonel Carter hurt?" 

"Yes. Thanks in no small part to Pete Shanahan. Cassandra has gone to call the police and O'Neill. I thought it fitting to alert her father."

"The connection is made."

"This is Teal'c of the SGC. I need to speak with Jacob Carter regarding his daughter."

"Teal'c, this is Jacob. What's wrong with Sam?"

"It appears that Pete Shanahan has once again injured your daughter. She is in the infirmary with a broken finger and other injuries. She will not allow any man near her at this moment. I believe she was sexually assaulted as well."

"I guess it's a good thing that I have a mission to Earth right now. I'll be coming through right after you disconnect from your end."

"Very well. We will await your arrival."

The Stargate shut down only to have an incoming wormhole splash in moments later. Jacob Carter walked through the horizon.

"Hello, Jacob Carter. I hope that you will be able to help Colonel Carter."

"Has anyone called Jack yet?"

"I believe Cassandra is doing that at the current moment. She was also, I believe, going to inform the authorities to watch for Shanahan."

"Good. I want to go see my daughter."

Teal'c inclined his head and lead Jacob from the gate room.

**

* * *

Jack** was sitting in George's office when his cell phone rang. "Excuse me, George." He picked up the phone. "O'Neill." 

The tear-filled voice on the other end got Jack's attention immediately. "Jack, Sam ----- she's ----- she's in the infirmary."

"What happened, Cassie? Calm down and tell me what happened." Jack felt his hand start shaking and he tried to keep his emotions under control. Blowing his cool was only going to cause more problems than they already had.

He heard the young woman take several deep breaths. "She begged me to take her to her house. She was going stir crazy just staying inside the mountain. You, General Hammond, Daniel and Jacob were gone. You were all driving her crazy by hovering around her 24/7. She just wanted a little privacy without being in the bathroom. I went to do some of my Christmas shopping. I was only going to be gone for a couple of hours. Jack, I lost track of time. I was gone for four hours. When I got back to the house, she was in the bathroom." She stopped for a second. She was obviously having a hard time telling him this. "Pete had been there. He---- he--- Jack, he raped her. Broke her finger. Even had her tied up for a while. I could see the rope burns on her wrists. I don't know what to do."

Jack took a deep breath and ran one hand through his hair. George knew the signs of irritation. He had seen them before. He knew that Jack was fighting hard to keep himself under control. He'd seen him do this before. "What's wrong, Jack?"

Jack pulled the phone away from his ear. "Pete apparently raped Sam and had her tied up. There are rope burns on her wrists and all. Cassie brought her back to base." He heaved a sigh of relief. "It's our fault. We were hovering over her as if she'd break if we left her alone. She had Cassie drive her to her house and leave her there for a while. Cassie was only going to leave her there for a couple of hours but lost track of time. Sam was alone for four hours."

"Do you want to go home? Take care of Sam?"

"Could I, George? Do you think she'd let me, or any other man, anywhere near her right now?"

"I think she needs all the people who care about her close at hand right now. I think you need to go. Be there. When she's ready, she'll need you close at hand. Besides, someone needs to be there to take care of Shanahan."

"Thank you, George."

"Not a problem. I'll make the phone calls to get you back there. Go on back to the hotel and pack. A car will be there soon." Jack nodded and got up to leave George's office.

"I'll be back soon, Cassie. Don't cry, sweetheart. I'll take care of everything. Have you called the police?" That was the last part George heard as Jack walked out of the office. When Cassie responded in the affirmative, she added that she warned them about Jack and the fact that he would be coming back with a taste for vengence. "Good girl. At least they know that the only chance of bringing him in alive is if they find him first."

"That's what I thought."

"I'm heading for the hotel now. George is setting things up to get me home. I should be there in about ten hours tops."

"We'll be waiting for you." He hung up and finished his trip back to the hotel.


	24. Justice Begins

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Still not mine. Not for lack of wishing though.

SUMMARY: Jack's a civilian. Sam's been hurt, badly, by Pete. Jacob came back to help.

FEEDBACK: My other addiciton. Feed me please. I'm loving the reviews I've had.

**

* * *

Sam **was asleep on her bed in the infirmary when Jacob walked in. He was shocked to see his little girl laying there, her left hand in a cast. Shey stood beside Sam while Cassie sat on the other side of her watching over their friend.

Shey was worried. Cassie had told her that Sam had been under a mild case of shock when she picked her up at the house. However, since they had arrived, she had shown no signs of it. Just a cold, hard logic.

_This is not the way she should be. Her emotions are there, seething beneath the surface. If she does not deal with these emotions soon, she will breakdown._ Shey knew that. She had seen others go through the same thing. They didn't deal with the emotions and ended up with a nervous breakdown that made them just fall apart.

Jacob was worried when he found out what was going on from Cassie. _She wasn't like this with Jonas. She was volatile. Very volatile._

_She was much younger then, Jacob. She has matured a great deal since then._ Selmak answered.

_And learned how to hide her emotions better. I see the signs. She's refusing to deal with the problem on an emotional level. She has to take care of this on all levels._

_She will deal with it in the proper time. Your daughter is strong, Jacob. Much like you._

_And her mother. She was a strong woman. She even stood up to me several times._

Shey stood beside Sam with one of her hands on Sam's left elbow and the other on her shoulder. She was trembling visibly with the force of the emotions Sam was maintaining such a tight grip on.

"Shey, is she alright?"

"Her emotions are being tightly reigned in. She has made her decision to deal with the facts first and the emotions later when she has the freedom to deal with them."

"Now for the other question. Are **you **alright?"

"I will be fine. Right now, I am attempting to ease the intensity of the emotions for Samantha. It is a difficult task but one I am well accquainted with."

"Shey, you're shaking. You need to take a break." Cassie's voice was still tremulous. She was still worried that someone would blame her for what had happened to Sam.

"I must finish my task or else I will have to start all over again when I come back to it."

Cassie bowed her head. "I really messed up this time, didn't I?"

Jacob stepped over to the young woman and wrapped his arms around her. "You made a simple mistake. It's not worth condeming you for. It's not your fault that Pete is a creep."

Shey bowed her head and concentrated on the task she had set for herself. What she was trying to do was difficult under the best of circumstances. But this time, she also had to deal with Cassandra's feelings of guilt as well as Jacob's.

As she felt Sam relax into a deeper sleep, Shey realized that her task was almost finished.

Daniel stepped through the door just in time to see Shey fall backward into a chair. He ran to her and knelt beside her, taking her hand. "Shey? Are you okay?"

"I just need rest. Samantha will sleep and heal. Allow it. Her mind needs time to deal with this situation." Daniel just sat next to Shey for a moment until he noticed her dozing off.

"Shey?"

"Да, мой дорогой?" She lifted her head as she spoke. Daniel slipped into the language easily without even thinking about it.

"Ты устала. Тебе надо ложиться и спать. Мы идём на мою комнату."

"Нет. Здесь хорошо."

"Нет. Я хочу быть с тобой. Я знаю что это не так удобно."

Standing up slowly, she couldn't argue with that logic. "Да. Не так удобно." Switching back to English, she turned to Cassie and Jacob. "Call me if she needs assistance in an emotional sense."

Cassie and Jacob both nodded. "Thank you for everything you've done for my daughter, Shey."

"It is an honor. Samantha is a beautiful and strong young woman. She is an asset to this planet and people."

"That she is. That she is."

With that, Daniel led Shey out of the infirmary and down to his own quarters.

**

* * *

Jack **was sitting on the plane on the way back to Colorado Springs. _Poor Sam. How could he do this to her? He said he loved her. He even wanted her to marry him. Maybe he realized that she wasn't going to be his punching bag and decided to make her pay for it. I'm just glad he didn't do any worse to her. I'd have to kill him._

"What are you thinking about, son?" George Hammond had noticed how deep in thought Jack seemed to be and decided to make him talk about it.

"That I was glad Pete didn't hurt Sam any worse than what he did or else I'd have had to kill him."

"That wouldn't help Sam any. You know that, Jack. What will help her is having you there when the full extent of what happened hits her. She'll need you with her then. Not in a jail cell."

"I know. It's just hard to believe that after everything he said to her, he could do something like this."

"I know it's hard not to just run out and beat the daylights out of him for this but trust me. He won't get away with it."

"I hope you're right, George. I hope you're right."

**

* * *

Pete **was sitting in a Colorado Springs bar that night. He seemed to be celebrating something. His fellow officers sat down with him.

"Hey, Pete. Whatcha celebrating?" asked Tom Haniman.

"I'm getting my old lady back. I made sure of that. Made sure that her precious Jack would never want to touch her again," he said sneering as he said Jack's name. He'd obviously been drinking for a while.

"What did you do?" asked Richard Allen, Tom's partner.

"Found the little slut in her house. I fucked her good before I put the ring back on her finger. Then, I broke it. Of course, not like she'll remember. She was unconcious when it all happened. But who knows. Maybe I got her pregnant. That Jack won't want her all knocked up with my kid."

"Why don't you come with us? We want to take you somewhere else to celebrate."

Pete nodded enthusiastically and followed the two officers outside. They waited until they were outside to put the cuffs on him. "Pete, you have the right to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney. If you can not afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you by the courts."

"What the hell is going on? What are you guys doing? Why am I being arrested?"

"I thought you would have heard by now. You've been charged with the rape of Samantha Carter. She happened to wake up and managed to keep a sample of the semen you left behind. She also had them photograph the rope burns. There seems to be enough evidence right now to put you in jail for certain."

"She wouldn't have known it was me. She was blind at the time."

"And you just confessed in front of both of us. Not to mention the fact that you told us about the broken finger with the ring on it. That tells us that you knew all about it and in fact did it. We'll book you and let the judge decide." Richard put him in the patrol car and went around to the driver's side door.

**

* * *

Jack **stepped into the elevator, relieved to be back in the mountain. He had never really liked being in DC. He prefered to be somewhere he felt comfortable and, while no longer an officer, he still didn't like to be in those formal situations.

George was beside him, insisting on seeing Sam. After all, she was still his goddaughter. No matter how old she got to be.

They both stepped out of the elevator for the infirmary. No one bothered to stop them. Everyone knew exactly where they were going and that it wouldn't be wise to get in their way.

Jack stopped in the doorway to the infirmary, his heart in his throat as he saw the form of his Sam under the covers of the bed with only her head and left hand above them, the hand in a stark white cast.

* * *

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. This one was a little more difficult. Plus my computer's video card decided to die last week. Thank you all for your patience. It will be a few days before I can update again because my brother's going to work on my computer for a couple of days this week. Hang in there and I'll have another chapter up soon. 

Translation note: The Russian (I hope my grammar is correct) translates as follows.

"Yes, my dear."

"You are tired. You need to lay down and sleep. We are going to my room."

"No. Here is fine."

"No. I want to be with you. I know that this is not that comfortable."

"Yes. Not that comfortable."


	25. He Hates Me, He Hates Me Not

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah right. And which drugs are you taking again?

SUMMARY: Sam's been raped. Jack's a bit out of character. The reason for that is that he didn't want to scare Cassie anymore than she already was and he knew that blowing his top in George's office could get him in trouble which would delay him getting back to Sam. Which at this point was all that he wanted: to be there for the woman he loves and wants to protect.

FEEDBACK: More please. This is great. I love it. By all means, keep it coming.

**

* * *

Jack** was still standing in the doorway, when Sam's nightmares began. She started tossing and turning. The whimpers started a moment later and she flung her left arm up as if to protect herself form something. Jack ran into the room and took a hold of her arms to hold her down. He hated to see her like this but he knew that she would never admit to being this scared while she was awake.

"Oh God! No! Please not again! Please! Don't hurt me! Please! Let me go!" The tears started running down her face unchecked by a conciousness that needed to portray a facade of strength to the world around her. "Please! Let me go! Please! I swear!"

"Jacob, help me. Hold down that side. We don't need her hurting herself more." Jack felt the tears running down his own face even as he noticed the ones on Jacob's cheeks. Both men knew that Sam needed them. They both wanted to be strong for her but they couldn't hold back the tears. Neither had been there to protect her. They also felt guilty because if they hadn't been so overprotective, she wouldn't have felt a need to be at the house alone that day. She would have been safe on base and that bastard never would have gotten his hands on her.

"Sammie. Sammie, it's just a dream. Wake up, honey. Wake up. You're safe." Jacob's voice cracked as he held down his daughter's right side while Jack held the left. Jack couldn't say anything for the lump settled firmly in his throat. "Sammie, honey. Sammie, wake up. You're safe at the SGC now. Safe, baby. Come back to us."

Jack felt a rage building in him the likes of which he had never felt before and never wanted to feel again. He wanted to kill Pete ever so slowly. He found himself wishing that he could use a Go'auld ribbon device in order to do it slowly. Although torturing him like Sam had said Fifth had done to her sounded good too. He just wanted the son of a bitch at his mercy (yeah right like he had any of that for Pete right now) for about a week. He would die slowly and know what Sam felt right now. The helplessness, the fear, the hopelessness.

Sam was settling down. She turned her head toward her dad. "Daddy? Daddy, is that you?"

"I'm here, baby. Right here. Teal'c called me. Thankfully, the Council had an assignment for me here and that makes it easy for me to be here for you."

Then she turned her head and saw Jack standing next to her, holding her left arm and leg down. "Jack?"

He couldn't answer her. He let her go and stormed out of the infirmary.

Sam's tears started then. "He hates me. Doesn't he?"

**

* * *

Down **in the gym, Jack was beating on a punching bag when Teal'c walked in. "O'Neill. Why are you here and not with Colonel Carter?"

"I can't. I can't be there right now. I just want to kill Pete. Very slowly. Maybe with a ribbon device to start with and then a slow removal of his skin."

"Colonel Carter is most upset by the way you left the infirmary. Jacob Carter is not happy with you either at the moment. He is most angry that his daughter currently thinks that you hate her."

Jack stopped still. "She thinks what?"

"I believe I spoke clearly. Colonel Carter thinks that you hate her according to her father."

The hand ran through the hair. "I don't hate her, T. I just felt so angry that I was part of the cause of this that I needed to get out of there before I said something stupid."

"So instead you do something stupid," came the voice from the doorway. There stood Jacob Carter with a stormy look on his face. "You hurt my little girl, Jack. You know how I feel about that."

"So what? Am I supposed to just forget that it's partially my fault that she's laying in the infirmary right now? Just blow it off? Because it is, you know. It is partially my fault. If I hadn't been so overprotective toward her, she wouldn't have felt a need to have Cassie leave her alone at the house and Pete wouldn't have stood a chance."

"Pete would have gotten to her sometime. Either now or later. She needs you. She needs every person who cares about her to be nearby right now. She needs to feel the support of her friends. Shey has been in to see her three times since we brought her in. Talorn has even stopped to see her. She won't let any man other than you or I touch her. But at least she accepts their company. "

"Don't you feel responsible, Jacob? Do you want to kill Pete so slowly that even Sokar would shake with fear? Because believe me, right now, nothing could make me happier than being given that sick son of a bitch to do with as I want."

"Do you really want to know what I want to do to him? I was thinking about it while Sammie slept. To start with, chain him naked to a cinderblock wall with ice cold water trickling down it. The temperature of the room would be kept at a constant 40 degrees. I would pull out each finger nail and toenail, one at a time, cauterizing the wounds afterward. Just to make sure that he didn't bleed to death. Then I would have every hair plucked from his body one at a time. And I do mean EVERY hair. Each bone in his body from the shoulders to the toes would be shattered."

"That's ...."

"I'm not finished, Jack. Several thousand paper cuts each with lemon juice and salt rubbed in occasionally for good measure. After several days of that he should be ready to beg for death. At which point I would stick a glass tube up into him and super glue that part of his anatomy to his stomach. Getting him excited would shatter the tube. Then I would leave him there to die of gangrene. Of course I would make sure that he had enough food and water that he wouldn't die that way. At least until he started to get to the point that the gangrene would kill him before he could die of starvation or thirst."

"That's vicious."

"He deserves no less for what he did to my Sammie. Do you disagree?"

Jack flinched at the cold look in Jacob's eyes. "Of course not. But that's vicious."

"That's the intent. He would know, by the time I finished, that he had done something really stupid. Are you going to do something stupid as well?"

"Let me work out a few more frustrations and I'll go apologize to Sam. I don't want her to think that I hate her. I love her. I just feel so guilty about all this."

"You think I don't? You think George doesn't? Daniel? We all feel guilty. Cassie even feels guilty. After all, she's the one that left Sam there."

"Oh God! I haven't even seen Cassie yet. She must think I'm really mad at her."

"She's been hiding ever since you entered the mountain. She's afraid that you'll try to blame all this on her."

"Never. I could never blame Cassie. She had no way of knowing Pete would be there."

"She doesn't see it that way."

"I have to talk to her."

"You also have to talk to Sam, Jack. Before she closes herself off from everyone."

"I will spar with you, O'Neill. It may help to speed up the process. You do not need to hold back."

"Thank you, T." With that, Teal'c and Jack started sparring full out.

**

* * *

Several** hours later, Jack stepped out of the shower feeling much better. He ran off to the infirmary. He knew that he had to apologize to Sam. He was worried about her. Worried about how she felt and what she was thinking.

Worried that maybe she didn't want him there anymore.

**

* * *

He **slowed to a stop just outside the infirmary. He was afraid. Jack "Go-get-em-full-speed-ahead" O'Neill was afraid. What a day.

Walking into the room where Sam still lay in the bed, he approached her carefully. "Sam? You awake, Sam?"

Sam opened her eyes. "Jack? Is that you, Jack?"

He sat down next to her. "I'm here. I'm sorry about the way I ran out of here. It wasn't you, Sam. It could never be you. I just felt so guilty. I wanted to kill Pete. I wanted to do it slowly. I wanted to torture him."

"Jack, I don't blame you. If I had just told you guys how I was feeling about the constant watching...."

"Let's not go into 'If Only's'. That arguement would take forever."

She chuckled a litte. "Too true. Too true." She took a deep breath. "Jack, please don't do that to me again."

"I can't promise that. I can promise that I'll try not to. So long as you make me a promise. That you'll try to remember to tell me when I'm getting too protective."

"That I can do. I guess we have to try to get charges filed against him."

"From what dad says, already done. Cassie called them and, when she told them what had happened, I guess she told them that you wanted to press charges against him."

"That I did." Cassie was standing at the doorway. "Can I come in?" She sounded so scared that she might get yelled at.

"Come here, kiddo." Jack held out his arms to her and wrapped her up tight when she stepped close to him. "Not your fault. Not yours."

Cassie started crying. "I left her there. I left her there when she couldn't see. I'm sorry, Jack. So sorry."

Jack just held her, stroking her hair while she sobbed against his chest. When she started calming down, he held her a little tighter. "Not your fault. You had no idea of what a sicked twisted bastard he was. Sam's going to be fine now. She's back here. Safe. Just like you."

"You did the right thing in telling the police that I would want to press charges. Has there been any word on Pete?"

Cassie looked at her and nodded. "The police called about an hour ago. They arrested him at a bar. Said he was celebrating making sure that he'd get you back. They said that he told them some pretty nasty things. Things that they wouldn't repeat to me. When you're ready, they want you to come down and sign some paperwork to file the charges."

"We'll go soon. I want to get this over with."

Jack took her hand in his while still holding onto Cassie. "So do we, Sam. So do we."

* * *

A/N: I hope that tides everyone over till I get my computer back from my brother. He's going to redo the hard drive for me. 


	26. Damage done

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah. Right. Keep dreaming. I do.

SUMMARY: Sam has started down the long road to recovery from a rape. Jack is with her and Daniel is taking care of Shey.

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity". Anything else may or may not be referenced here. Probably not unless the season goes more to my liking.

FEEDBACK: I'm shameless. Please give feedback. I love the stuff and look forward to it.

A/N: iamari, I know that some of these guys are a little out of character. There is a reason for it. Besides, do we really know how they would react to a situation like this? Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I'm loving this.

**

* * *

Daniel **and Shey were lying on his bed. Shey was under the covers and Daniel on top of them, holding her gently. She was asleep and he wasn't. He couldn't help but worry about Sam.

_How am I going to tell Sam that I know how she feels? I have to let her know that I understand. I just don't know how to tell her._

"Daniel?" came Shey's soft sleepy voice.

"Yes?"

"Relax and sleep. You will find the way to help Samantha. Do not worry so."

Daniel smoothed Shey's hair back and put his head down next to hers on the pillow. He was asleep before he knew what hit him.

**

* * *

At the** police station, Pete was trying to convince the sergeant on duty that he hadn't really done the things he said he had done. That it was just what he had thought about doing. The sergeant wasn't buying it. They booked Pete and put him in a cell.

**

* * *

Daniel's** dreams as he slept beside Shey were far from peaceful as his memory called the incident that Sam's condition had reminded him of.

_** Dream **_

Daniel saw himself in the quarters with Hathor. He was following her toward the bed as she plied him with kisses. She undressed him and herself and laid them both down on the bed.

'_I have to fight her. She wants to take over the world. I can stop her. If I can just get my body back under my own control. I have to take back the control. I can stop her, if I can break the hold she has on me.'_

He kept telling himself that he wasn't to blame for this. He didn't have control. They couldn't blame him for her taking over the world.

Then, the scene changed slightly. This time, he could resist her. She didn't let that stop her though. "Men!" At her command, four men ran into the room, Jack among them. "Hold him down! I will get the sample I need."

"Jack, no! Don't do this! Please! You're my friend! Help me!" Daniel's cries fell on deaf ears. Jack joined the others in holding Daniel down on the bed for Hathor.

He tried not to react but she was good. She soon had him at the brink. As the waves of pleasure washed over him, he started to cry, knowing that Earth was doomed. His tears were still falling as his friend, under Hathor's control, pointed a staff weapon straight as his chest and fired.

The scene changed yet again. This time, though, he was a willing participant in the whole thing. He went along with her. Kissing her made him feel good. He felt that this was the right thing to do. He wanted Hathor. He wanted to be the one to give her DNA for the little Go'auld. He helped her to undress and then undressed himself. As they lay next to each other on the bed, he was enjoying bringing her pleasure. Right up until Shey walked through the door and stood there staring at him. He fought then. As she stood there watching him with her heart in her eyes. The look on her face spoke volumes. "How could you do this to me? To Sha're's memory?"

"NO! Shey, no! It's not like that! Please!" She turned to leave the room. "Shey, please! This is not me! Don't go! Stay! Don't leave me!"

_** Dream **_

Shey woke up to Daniel screaming for her to stay. She sat up in the bed and put her hand on his shoulder. "Daniel. Daniel, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Wake up, Daniel. Wake up."

Daniel sat bolt upright. His eyes flew open and he looked at Shey. He was hoping that she didn't know what he had been dreaming. Of course, he knew that she had seen his dream. She touched him. How could she not have seen it?

"Daniel, don't turn away from me. Your nightmares do not frighten me. That was an awful thing that you went through. However, it brought you closer to the doctor that you came to love so much. She was a very special woman to have captured your heart the way she did."

"Please, don't think that this means that I love you any less."

"I could never think that. I know that you love me. You also loved and still love her. As with the others you have loved and lost, she still holds a special place in your heart. However, I also know that I know hold the biggest portion of your heart." She smiled at him. "I also know that there is no need to feel threatened by those who came before." She lay down beside him again and placed her head on his chest. "We are one. This past experience of yours will allow you to help Samantha through her ordeal."

"I do love you. You know that, don't you?"

"I do. And I love you as well."

Both of them held onto each other as they fell back to sleep.

**

* * *

Sam **lay still on the bed, asleep once again. Jack hadn't left her side since he had come to her after his session of sparring with Teal'c. He sat there holding her hand.

Jacob stood on the other side of the bed. "Jack, you need to eat something."

"I can't leave her. That's why she got hurt in the first place. Because I left her here and wasn't here to protect her."

"No. The reason she got hurt is because she was too stubborn to admit that we bothered her by hovering around her. She wanted privacy and we didn't give it to her. We are the reason she's in here. But not because we left her. It's because we wouldn't leave her alone."

"Jacob, I can't just leave her here."

"I'll stay with her while you eat. She won't be alone. I promise."

"Can't someone just bring me food here?"

"Jack, you need to get up and move. Otherwise, those knees of yours will lock up and you won't be able to get up."

"Jacob, I'm not leaving her alone."

"Jack," came the sleepy voice from the bed. "Dad'll be here. I won't be alone. Go on and eat. I'll still be here when you get back."

"Are you sure, Sam?"

"I'm certain. I want you to take care of yourself." With that, Jack got up and went to the mess hall to eat.

At the door, he turned back. "I'll be back in about a half an hour."

"Take an hour. I'll be okay."

He nodded. "I'll be back. I promise."

After he left, Sam looked at her father and smiled sadly. "I wish he wouldn't blame himself. He's so stubborn though."

"Kind of like this one blonde young woman that I happen to know."

"Who, me?" Sam looked at her father with eyes full of innocence.

"Yes. You. You aren't as innocent as you'd like us to believe." Jacob laughed with his daughter as she smiled at him.

**

* * *

Jack **sat in the mess hall, pushing food around on his plate. He should be happy that Sam wasn't blaming him for this but he couldn't shake the feeling that he was somehow to blame for Pete getting his hands on her again.

Pete. Just the thought of the man's name made him so furious that he just wanted to go out and kill something. Unaware that he was doing it, his hand tightened on the glass he held until it shattered cutting his hand in the process. He heard the shatter but didn't feel the pain of the cuts until one of the sergeants that worked in the gate room asked him to open his hand so they could see how bad it was.

When Jack opened his hand and looked at it, he saw the blood and a rogue thought spiraled through his head. That wasn't his blood. It was Pete's and he was glad. He stood up and walked out of the room with his hand dripping blood all the way down the hallway as he walked back to the infirmary.

**

* * *

When **Jack walked into the infirmary with his hand dripping blood, Sam gasped. "What did you do, Jack?"

Just then, he looked at his hand as if he hadn't noticed the blood before. "I guess I cut my hand."

A nurse walked up to him. "I'll help you clean this up. Come on over here."

Sam heaved a sigh of relief. She had honestly thought for a moment that he had gone out and done something to Pete. Then, she remembered that the police had him in custody. Cassie had told them that.

Sam looked at the nurse. "How did you know to be waiting for him?"

"One of the sergeants from the gate room called down here and said that Mr. O'Neill had shattered a glass in his hand. I figured he was heading back here when I was told that he had left the mess hall with his hand still bleeding."

"Thank you," Jack said as she finished bandaging his hand. He immediately got up and went back to his chair beside Sam. "How do you feel, Sam?"

"I'm alright, Jack. I'll be fine. It's just going to take some time."

"I'll give you all the time you need."

"Walter just called down and said that he just received a message from the hotel you were staying at in Washington this last time. They said there was a hole in the wall. They're sure it wasn't there when you checked in. They wanted to know if you knew anything about it." Sam was curious. She knew that Jack had a volatile temper and wouldn't have blown up in General Hammond's office but once outside----.

"Don't know a thing," Jack responded, smiling broadly at Sam.

* * *

A/N: I know this one's a little longer than the others. Oh well. Such is the muse. 


	27. Confessions

DISCLAIMER: Mine? Yeah right. And you spend how much on drugs?

SUMMARY: Jack has displayed a little of the infamous O'Neill temper, slicing his hand open in the process. Sam has told him not to blame himself for what happened to her. Of course, he does anyway. Pete is sitting in a jail cell right now. What happens next?

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity". Anything that happened or happens after that may or may not be referenced here. Probably not though because I don't like the way things seem to be going in the show right now.

FEEDBACK: Please please please. I love feedback.

**

* * *

Daniel **walked into the infirmary and stopped just inside the door. Jack and Sam were talking quietly together and Jacob was nowhere to be seen.

Sam saw him first. "Hey, Daniel. How are you?"

He stepped forward somewhat hesitant. "What's wrong, Danny?" Jack asked, noticing that something was bothering Daniel.

"I want to talk to you guys. I have some things that I need to tell you."

"Well, come on over. Pull up a chair and tell us." Jack was trying to make it easier on Daniel.

Pulling up a chair on the opposite side of the bed, Daniel started talking. He knew that he had to start before he lost his nerve. "You guys remember the first run-in with Hathor. I said that the DNA that Janet would find in the remains of the larval Go'auld would be partially mine?" Both of them nodded. "What I didn't tell you then was that she seduced me. Afterwards, I looked back at it with shame. I felt violated. I didn't want to talk about it. Janet noticed that something was wrong and she pulled me aside a few days later."

_**FLASHBACK**_

"_Daniel, can I talk to you for a moment?" Janet asked. Daniel followed her into her office. "I know that something's been bothering you ever since the end of the Hathor incident. Do you want to talk about it?"_

"_I don't know. I just feel so –"_

"_Violated? Let me guess. That was not something that you would have done under normal circumstances?"_

"_Right. Just knowing what she was, I would never have done anything with her."_

"_You were under the influence of her pheromones. Technically, that makes what she did with you rape. You were a victim of rape."_

"_But –"_

"_You thought only women could be raped? Men can be raped too. It's a common misconception. Most people believe that men can't be raped. It just isn't true. If it's something that you wouldn't have done under normal circumstances, it's rape."_

"_So I have a right to feel violated?"_

"_Yes. You really do. Have you talked to Jack or Sam about it?"_

"_No. They'd never understand. I'm sure nothing like this has ever happened to either one of them."_

"_It's okay, Daniel. They won't think any less of you if you tell them."_

"_I just can't, Janet. I feel ashamed enough as it is. If I tell them, I get this feeling that they'll start looking at me with pity."_

_"Jack isn't like that. Neither is Sam. They'd want to help you through this. Really they would, Daniel. Try to talk to them. For the sake of your own peace of mind."_

"_Maybe someday. In the meantime, can I just talk to you? You seem to understand what I feel all too well."_

"_Probably because I've been through the same thing. It's not easy to deal with. I know that. It's easier if you have friends who can help."_

_That was the first day that Daniel had spoken to anyone about the feelings he'd been experiencing since the incident with Hathor._

_**FLASHBACK ENDS**_

The look in Sam's eyes told him that he had done the right thing in telling in them. That he should have told them sooner. They would have understood.

Jack just didn't understand. He didn't understand why Daniel hadn't told them about this before now. He mentally kicked himself for not having noticed that something was bothering Daniel at the time.

"I spent a lot of time talking to Janet after that. She and I got very close. In fact, I asked her to marry me about a month before she was killed. The day she died, I fell apart inside. I buried it deep just like I had the emotions about Hathor. I just continued on, vowing to never let anyone that close again. That's one of the reasons that Cassie came to stay with you. She couldn't handle the way I was at home. I wouldn't talk to her much. I didn't even take care of myself sometimes. I was determined to keep everyone at a distance. I just never could do that with you, Sam. I couldn't. You were the one person I couldn't keep away. Something about you made me want to get close. But I knew about the feelings between you and Jack. Janet and I had talked about it several times. She and I knew that the two of you would eventually get together."

"You talked about us?" Jack was amazed. Daniel and Janet had been engaged? They had talked about the possibility of a Jack-and-Sam relationship. Daniel had lost Cassie to his own fears of letting anyone else close. "But when Cassie ran off a couple of weeks after she came to live with Sam --?"

"She came to the house and stayed with me for a few days. We cried together for the first time since Janet had been killed and then we laughed over some of our memories. It was really therapeutic."

"I'm still stuck on the part of the two of you being engaged. Neither of you let on. Neither of you said anything." Sam's voice was a bit accusatory. She was a little hurt that Janet was her best friend and yet hadn't told her that he had popped the question.

"We wanted to tell you guys. We really did. We just didn't know when would be a good time to say it. Then Janet died and it just didn't seem to matter anymore." Daniel hung his head. He really had wanted to tell his teammates but Janet had wanted to wait for the perfect time. He honored her wishes. And then it was too late. Janet was dead.

Sam held out her arms to her friend. More than friend. Brother. The brother that Mark had never been. Daniel had always been there for her when she needed a shoulder to cry on or even just lean on. He was the brother she had needed when her mother died.

Daniel sat down on the bed next to Sam and let her hold him as tears ran down both of their faces. Jack was still kind of shell shocked. He was amazed that Daniel had hidden that sort of thing for so long from him. Finally, he stood up and wrapped his arms around both of the people on the bed. People who were so much more to him than teammates. They were family. The only family he needed right now.

* * *

A/N: There's the next chapter. A little angsty I know. Have to have at least one of those in the story. Happy reading everyone. 


	28. Opening Up

DISCLAIMER: Mine? I wish.

SUMMARY: Daniel has confessed to some feelings that he's been hiding for several years. Sam and Jack have joined him in a good healthy cry.

SPOILERS: Up through Affinity. Anything else may or may not be referenced here.

FEEDBACK: I love feedback. It's the best part of writing.

**

* * *

Shey **knew that she was alone. She knew it before she even opened her eyes to the dark of the room. She also knew, just as surely, that Daniel was with Samantha and O'Neill. They were crying together. _'And so the healing begins.'_

She smiled. This was something that Daniel needed as much as the other two did. Maybe it would clear the air amongst them. The emotions that they fought so hard needed to be brought out. It was time to begin the healing.

She sat up and stretched. Today would be a good day to walk around the base outside and get some fresh air. She decided to take a shower and see if she could arrange a picnic lunch for herself and the others with the mess hall.

**

* * *

Everything **was arranged. There would a picnic lunch brought out around noon. Leaving word with several people, Shey headed outside.

She had just stepped out into the sunshine when Cassandra pulled up. Cassie parked her car and hopped out to intercept Shey.

"Where are you going, Shey?"

"I'm going to go set up for a picnic lunch for all of us. You're invited too, of course."

"Cool. Who's going to be there?"

"I, you, Daniel, Talorn, Samantha, O'Neill, Teal'c, maybe even Jacob and General Hammond. I'm not certain that the last two will be there but I'm almost certain of the others."

"That's a lot of people for a simple picnic. Would you like some help?"

Shey smiled at the young woman's enthusiasm. "That would be wonderful. We could get to know each other a little better. After all, …"

"You'll be part of the family soon. You're going to marry Daniel aren't you?"

"I am. He's such a wonderful man. So sweet and giving. He buried so much of himself to help his friends. He always wants everyone around him to be happy, even if it means he isn't. I have never met anyone like him before. I'm so happy just being around him." Shey was practically glowing as she spoke, her love for Daniel shining through her eyes.

"I hope I have a love like that someday," Cassie said wistfully. "I hope that someday I can find that one man that will be everything to me. The one who thinks I'm everything to him as well."

"You will, Cassandra. You will."

"I hope so. I hope that I can be that happy with one person."

"Your time will come. You will see."

The two young women continued their conversation as they began to set things up for the picnic with their friends.

**

* * *

Daniel **sat next to Sam's bed, telling two of his friends about some of the things that went through his mind when he had first returned from being ascended.

"I was so confused when you guys showed up. There was something there. Something familiar made me feel that I knew you but I couldn't remember anything. It was just a vague feeling."

"I wish we could have skipped the whole memory loss thing. It was – unsettling, to say the least."

"How do you think I felt, Jack? It was my mind they had locked up. I had to find the keys to everything all over again. It wasn't any fun at all."

"For us either, Daniel. We were so worried about you and trying to get you to remember things so that we could figure out the tablet that you brought us." Sam smiled at her friend. It wasn't the first time that they had lost Daniel. She remembered the time that Nem had programmed them to believe that Daniel was dead so that he could probe the man's mind for information about the fate of his mate.

"Thinking about Nem? What he did to you guys was wrong. He just didn't know of any other way."

"I understand that. It was the feeling that I couldn't shake that you were dead but you were alive at the same time."

"Janet told me about you going under hypnosis in order to try to figure out what happened to me. I never told you how much that meant to me."

"It was frightening. But at least Jack was there to help me through it when I realized that we had left you behind." She smiled at Jack, remembering the way he had gently held her when she had turned to him in tears realizing that they had left Daniel behind.

"I felt the same thing when you were running from the super soldier at the Alpha site. That day, I swear I wanted to kill all the Tok'ra and Jaffa that weren't helping to find you. The only person who would have been safe is your father because he was at least trying to help. I probably would have started with some serious violence if the representatives from the Tok'ra and the Jaffa hadn't left when they did. None of them seemed to realize how much danger you were in, or even why you were so important to us."

"That day, I was never so glad to see anyone as I was when Jack showed up with Dad. I felt so much relief seeing Dad alive and Jack with him. My mind almost shut down right then. It did after. Once the super soldier was dead, my brain just totally stopped working. It actually felt good to know that someone was there who could take care of things for a little bit while I pulled myself back together."

There was a knock on the door. An SF stood in the doorway, obviously waiting. "Yes?" Jack said.

"The princess asked that I inform the three of you that she was arranging a picnic lunch for all of you on the surface. She said it was much too nice a day to be stuck inside."

"Thank you, airman. We should probably head out there to see what she has for us. Doctor Brightman, would that be okay?"

"Of course. Sunshine and fresh air will do the colonel a great deal of good." The doctor smiled at Daniel and Jack. "It wouldn't hurt the two of you either."

"That sounds suspiciously like doctor's orders." Jack laughed as the doctor nodded. The men left the room so that Sam could get dressed for lunch.

**

* * *

Sam** seemed a little tired when the three teammates arrived at the surface. Talorn and Teal'c were both waiting at the entrance to the mountain to escort them to the picnic site.

Jack was a little worried. "Are you okay, Sam?"

"I'll be fine, Jack. You guys have kept me in bed for 24 hours and not allowed me to do much before that. It's understandable that I'm a little tired. I'll be fine. Really."

Teal'c and Daniel couldn't help but notice that she leaned on Jack just a bit as they headed over to the picnic area.

When they got there, they were greeted by the sight of fried chicken, potato salad, and various other side dishes on one table while another was set with drinks, silverware and plates. Not to mention the dishes with each person's favorite dessert.

Sam was thrilled. She saw a dish with a healthy portion of blue jello in it. She walked over to the extra table and grabbed a plate to fix herself something to eat. Shey walked up to her. "Would you like a little help, Samantha?"

Sam nodded. "Thank you, Shey. How are you today?"

"Better. Especially now that I know that you and Daniel have begun the long healing process. It will take a while but I know that you can make it through."

"Thank you. I take it you told him to tell us about the Hathor incident and what happened after with Janet?"

"Yes. He still misses her a great deal. He always will. But that does not bother me. It was the other feelings that he was hiding that bothered me. It hurt me that I could not help him with that. I'm just glad that he has his teammates to help him through things like this."

"And we always will," Jack said, popping his head into view over Sam's shoulder. "All he has to do is tell us what he needs."

Daniel's head came into view alongside Shey's. "No more hiding. I promise."


	29. The DA's Preparations

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Not mine. Not for lack of hoping however.

SUMMARY: A picnic begins at the SGC. Daniel has helped Sam start down the path toward healing. Sam and Jack have found out a lot about things Daniel has kept hidden from them.

SPOILERS: Up to "Affinity" Anything else may or may not be referenced here.

FEEDBACK: Please!!!!!!! Please. I love feedback and it really helps to fuel the muse.

A/N: To fanofsg1, I know about the entrapment. And if you continue reading you'll see how I deal with that and the characterization. Thanks for the feedback though.

**

* * *

Sam **was not happy, to put it mildly. She had just had a phone call from the DA's office.

"I'm sorry, Colonel Carter. His admission is inadmissible in court. There isn't anything I can do about that one. The only thing right now that we have that could possibly stand up in a court of law is the sample from you and the bed. Of course, the defense will contend that, since you two were engaged, it was consensual sex and that you just cried rape after the fact because you wanted attention."

"What about the testimony of Cassandra?"

"She's a young woman who has been quite vocal in her dislike of Pete Shanahan from the start. It would be easy to consider this her way of getting him away from you. It's also documented that she had been adopted by Janet Frasier after her entire family died. Last year, Dr. Frasier died in a work-related accident and you assumed custody. You are currently the only family the young woman has. It would only be natural that she would feel the relationship with you threatened by your engagement to Detective Shanahan. I'm just trying to let you know that this trial is not going to be nice. It's going to be vicious and the defense is going to try to paint you as a woman who simply decided that it would be too restricting to be in such a relationship at this time."

"I'm sorry. No matter what, I'm going through with this. The man is not what he appears and I want to see him pay for what he did to me."

"Okay. Just remember. I warned you. I'll try to prepare you for what they'll try to say. It's not going to be easy. I've seen cases like this one before. Usually by the time it's over, the victim feels like they've been through the whole thing all over again."

"I'm ready for that. I need to do this."

"Okay." She could almost hear him shrugging on the other end of the line. "If you come into my office on Monday, I'll start trying to prepare you."

"What time?"

"How about 10 am? Would that be good?"

"Fine. I'll see you then."

The call ended and Sam sighed, putting her head in her hands. "You okay, Sam?"

"I'll be fine, Daniel. It's just frustrating. They can't use Pete's confession against him and they'll probably make it sound as if I just cried rape for attention."

"What about your broken finger?"

"They'll probably attribute that to a work injury or maybe even something I did to myself to make the claim more believable." She stopped for a second to scratch at her arm just below the cast. "As if I'd put myself through this annoyance on purpose. I have a lot of work to do and I can't even start on half of it because of this thing."

"You do have people that can help you right?"

"Daniel, you've been my friend for several years now. You know how independent I am."

"I know, Sam. But everybody needs help sometimes. Just accept the fact that you need help and go ahead."

"I think that might be a good idea, Colonel Carter." Teal'c appeared in the doorway. "It might give you something to focus on besides the impending court trial."

Sam sighed yet again. "You're right, Teal'c. I need to focus on something else before I do something crazy."

She headed down to her lab.

**

* * *

Three **hours later, Jack walked into Sam's lab. He had seen all the assistants running to and from the place all this time and decided to do something about it. He had grabbed one person's arm and asked her what was going on in the lab.

"Colonel Carter's on a warpath. She hasn't quit barking orders since she walked in about three hours ago. Half of us are ready to run away and hide."

"Pass the word. That's exactly what I want you to do. I'll take care of Colonel Carter."

"How? She won't let anyone near her except when they're working on certain experiments."

"Don't worry about that, lieutenant. I'll deal with her."

"I hope so, sir. I like working with the colonel on a general basis. She's an amazing woman with an amazing mind. I don't like seeing her like this."

"Just get everyone else out of there and I'll talk to her."

"Lieutenant Harrimore!" Sam's voice echoed through the hall, scaring the poor young woman Jack had stopped. She looked up at Jack and ran for the lab.

Thankfully, Jack had already talked to Teal'c and Daniel and found out about the phone call from the DA's office. He understood what Sam was thinking. She was trying to bury herself in her work. That he understood and could work with. But, Sam being the dictator and working her people into a tizzy was not something he could deal with easily.

Suddenly, Jack heard the explosion from the lab. Sam had finally done it. She snapped completely. Each and every person who had been helping Sam ran from the room as she started screaming.

Jack walked to the door. He noticed that Sam stood next to the table with her hand clenched in a fist. He walked over to her, trying to stay as calm as possible, knowing that the only way she would calm down is if he stayed calm.

He flinched though when she slammed her fist down on the table. "Sam?"

"Jack, now's not really a good time to be around me. I just drove everyone that I work with away from me. No one wants to be around me right now."

"I do. Teal'c does. Daniel does. Daniel's just a little preoccupied right now. Teal'c, well he's just being Teal'c. No one thinks less of you for what you're feeling right now. They all understand. It's just that they don't know how to deal with you when you're like this."

He put one arm around her shoulders. She had slumped down onto a stool next to him. "_I_ don't know how to deal with me like this." She looked up at him. "Why can't I just put this behind me? It's not going to be easy. It's not going to be fun. It's going to be just like having him do it to me all over again. But with witnesses. I just wish there was some way it could all be over, with him in jail."

He wrapped her in his arms for a moment before pushing her back from him. "Look, no matter what happens, your friends will always be there for you. You know that. At least, you should know it by now." She nodded. "It's not going to be easy. But would you rather go through this and make sure that he can't hurt anyone else, or risk him doing it to someone else. And the possibility exists that he would come back to do it to you again if he goes free."

"You wouldn't let that happen."

"Not let. But I can't be there 24/7 to protect you anymore than you can to protect Cassie. I understand that some of this happened because he made threats toward Cassie. That would be the one thing to keep you from telling anyone about this before this."

She nodded. He knew her too well. He knew that if Cassie hadn't been threatened, she would have kicked his ass several times over. Of course, the worst of the threats had been that he would see to it that she would never see Cassie again, whether that was by putting her in jail or killing Cassie he didn't care. It was that particular threat that kept her from talking to the others about this.

"I couldn't let him hurt her. In any way."

"I know, Sam. And he never will. Not after we're done with him. I promise."

**

* * *

Sam **sat across from the DA in his office. The man had taken a personal interest in this case for some odd reason. He had decided to be the one to prosecute it himself.

"Colonel Carter, I know that some of this is going to get ugly. It's going to be rough and there's nothing I can do to make it easier on you."

"I can handle it. I have to, if I'm going to ever be able to put this whole thing behind me and get on with my life."

"I hope I can help."

"Mr. Jackman, I am a very strong woman. I have to be in my field. It's been predominantly male for so long. And, as you know, men don't usually take to women invading their fields very well."

"Unfortunately, that's true. I do hope, however, that you have a strong support system of friends in place to help out in this."

"Of course. My team would never let me stand alone during a time like this." She smiled sadly as she remembered what had happened in the past few days. Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c had been constantly there whenever she wanted to talk. They had all made a point to stay away from her unless she specifically told them otherwise. She had been amazed at the way they had been trying to help her out. They gave her plenty of room to work things out for herself.

"That's good. I have the feeling that you might need them at various points during the trial." He sighed. "Shall we get started?"

With Sam's nod, Anthony Jackman began the arduous task of preparing for the trial.


	30. Accidents Happen

DISCLAIMER: Nope. Still not mine. Still waiting though. Maybe someday.

SUMMARY: Sam's getting ready for the trial. I don't think I'm going to get into detail on that one because the research would take forever. Anyway, I've only got a couple more chapters left for this one and then something else has started to take shape in my head.

FEEDBACK: Much appreciated. I love feedback. It's a form of drug.

SPOILERS: Up through "Affinity". Anything else may or may not be referenced here.

**

* * *

The **trial ended quickly much to everyone's surprise. Sam was very grateful when it was over. She just wasn't happy with the outcome. Pete got off. Due to the fact that no one saw Pete leave Sam's house around the time of the rape, there was only circumstantial evidence and he got off.

Jack and Sam had decided though that they wouldn't let this ruin them. They decided not to live their lives in fear. After all, Sam knew hand-to-hand. There was no way he could know more about that than she did. After all, she had Brigadier General Jonathan O'Neill as a teacher and he was Special Ops.

Thankfully, the judge had issued, per Jack's request, a restraining order to make sure that Pete had to stay away from Sam. Of course, Jack's request had a double purpose. He also wanted to make sure that Sam wouldn't be left alone because he had to kill Pete.

* * *

"**Jack,** I'm going to run to the store. Is there anything you need while I'm there?" 

"How about some beer?" Jack was out in the backyard, firing up the grill. They had decided to barbecue some ribs. He'd been marinating them all day.

"Okay. I'll be back soon."

"You'd better be. I don't want to have to start eating without my beer." At the look on her face, he smiled. "Or you."

She walked out the back door and kissed his cheek. "I love you too."

She left. Neither one expected the way this day would end.

**

* * *

Sam **just finished loading the groceries into her car when someone grabbed her arm.

She spun around and saw Pete attached to the hand that had grabbed her.

"Have you lost your mind? You aren't supposed to be anywhere near me." She started pulling, trying to get her arm free.

"You belong to me. You took my ring."

"You got the remains of it back. I don't have it."

"You ruined the ring."

"The doctor had to cut it to get it off my finger before I lost my finger. Let go of me!"

"Sam, we can still make this work. You don't really want to be with Jack do you?"

"Yes. I do, Pete. I love him. More than I ever could have loved you. You deserve much better than what I had to offer you."

"No! I want you! You agreed to this! You agreed to marry me! I won't let you go!"

She tore her arm out of his grasp. "I changed my mind! I don't belong to you or anyone else! I am my own woman!"

Pete reached for her again. She slapped his hand away. He stepped back for a moment, shocked that she was fighting back. Then, he lunged at her.

She grabbed his shoulders and pulled his head down to contact with her knee. On impact, Pete's nose shattered, shards flying into his brain.

An ambulance showed up several long minutes later. But it was too late. Pete was dead. Killed by his own greed.

The police showed up just a moment after the ambulance had arrived and the medics started working on Pete, trying to revive him. "Colonel Carter, what happened?"

"Detective Shanahan tried to grab me. When I pulled away, he tried to grab me again. I fought back." Suddenly, she realized that he hadn't moved since he hit the ground. "Did I - Did I kill him?"

"It appears so. Would you like to call someone? We'll have to take you down to the station."

"I understand. Can I use my cell phone? I'll go with you willingly."

"I don't see that as a problem." The officer opened the back door. Sam climbed into the car and pulled out her phone.

"Jack, meet me down at the police station. I think I just killed Pete."

**

* * *

Jack **was in shock. _Sam couldn't have killed him. That's not like her. It would be more my style._ He drove in silence to the police station. He just couldn't believe that Sam would be able to do something like this.

_Of course we did agree that we wouldn't live in fear. That he wouldn't be allowed to turn us into hermits. If he messed with her then he got what he deserved._

Jack's thoughts continued rambling until he reached the station where he was immediately taken into the room where two detectives were questioning Sam.

She stood up as he entered. "Jack." She didn't say anything else. She didn't need to. Her emotions were written all over her face. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

She lay her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Jack. It wasn't –"

"I understand, Sam. It wasn't intentional. He pushed the issue, violated the restraining order and tried to hurt you. It was his fault. Not yours. Not yours."

He was stroking her head and holding her close when the detectives left the room, deciding that the two of them needed some time alone.


	31. The End

DISCLAIMER: Nope still not mine. God I wish though.

SUMMARY: Sam has killed Pete. Jack is with her and Daniel's in love.

FEEDBACK: I'll take it. I love it.

SPOILERS: Up through 'Affinity'. Anything else that happens may or may not be referenced here.

* * *

"**I don't** see any reason to imprison Colonel Carter. Her actions were not a result of malice. She was merely defending herself. I think we can release her." The judge seemed understanding. 

The officers nearby nodded and removed the cuffs from her wrists. Sam rubbed her wrists and smiled weakly at the judge. "Thank you, your honor."

She turned to Jack who had stood beside her during the entire hearing. "Can we go home now, Jack?"

"I think that would be a good idea." The two of them walked out of the courtroom. Jack had his arm around Sam's shoulders with her snuggled into his side.

**

* * *

Sam **was stretched out on the couch in Jack's office, asleep. He stood in the doorway watching her. She had been asleep almost since they had returned from the courthouse. It was interesting to watch her sleep. She had one hand curled up under her head. The other was lying along her leg as she slept. She was on her side and facing the door.

He didn't want to leave her. He was afraid of her nightmares. Afraid that what she had done would haunt her sleep. But he also knew that he had a base to run. He turned to leave the office in order to find out if anything had happened in his absence.

**

* * *

Several **hours later, Jack headed back to his office only to bump into Sam who was coming out of there. "Sleep well?"

"Like a log. I'm hungry. Think there's any dinner left in the commissary?"

"Complete with blue jello unless I miss my guess." Jack smiled. Things were slowly getting back to normal around the mountain.

**

* * *

A/N: **Finished. The story started to peter out so I decided it was best to just end it there instead of trying to drag it out. Sorry for those who expected longer but that's how it goes. Stay tuned. I may be doing another one soon.


End file.
